Investing in our kids and their classrooms

At a glance

A great education helps our kids grow up confident, capable and ready to take on the world.

It’s why with this Budget, the Victorian Government is investing $4.9 billion to continue building a better future for our kids.

That includes constructing new schools and upgrading classrooms across our state. But our commitment goes beyond bricks and mortar.

We’re also investing in what happens inside the classroom – promoting a culture of excellence and giving teachers the support they need to help kids succeed.

New and better schools

Every family deserves a great local school.

And as our population grows, we need to make sure we’re building and upgrading our schools and classrooms.

We promised to build 100 new schools across Victoria by 2026.

We’ve already opened 81 – including 6 that opened for students at the start of this school year. Nineteen more are on track to open for day one, Term one next year.

This Budget funds a further 2 new schools in Aintree North and Officer, bringing the total number of new schools to 102 since 2019.

But we’re not just building new schools – we’re also making our existing ones even better, with modern learning spaces, sports fields and playgrounds.

This Budget delivers new schools, school upgrades and maintenance, including:

• $361 million to build 2 brand new local schools, construct additional stages at 4 recently opened schools and planning to expand an existing school.
• $322 million to upgrade 35 schools across Victoria, delivering great classrooms and facilities for learning and community use.
• $237 million to acquire land for new and expanded schools, including in Casey, Darebin, Melbourne and Melton.
• $187 million for more modular classrooms to create new learning spaces at schools that need extra classroom space.
• $50 million to expand permanent capacity at 3 existing schools.
• $25 million to fund small-scale capital projects that are a priority for local schools.
• $19 million for the Accessible Buildings Program, making school spaces more inclusive.
• $10 million to plan future capital upgrades and expansions at 20 schools across Victoria.
• $1 million to fund a feasibility study for a maths and science school in Melbourne’s north-west.

Promoting excellence in the classroom

We want every Victorian child to reach their full potential.

That’s why this Budget invests an additional $133 million to drive excellence in reading, writing and maths at every level.

That includes $37 million to drive excellence in maths education.

This investment will upskill existing maths teachers and deliver a new numeracy check for Year 1 students, helping identify kids who need extra support early.

It’ll also fund free advanced mathematics camps for Year 9 and 10 students and provide experts to support local teachers in regional schools to develop their capabilities.

Funding will also support a feasibility study for a new maths and science school in Melbourne's north-west.

This Budget also delivers:

• $25 million to drive excellence in reading and writing education by providing phonics education in every government school, supporting teachers with better diagnostic tools and the expertise of experienced teachers.
• $25 million to continue to stretch students though the Victorian High-Ability Program and the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series, including online classes, excursions and workshops.
• $20 million for small-group tutoring to support students who need it most, to improve their reading, writing and maths skills.
• $18 million to continue the Koorie Literacy and Numeracy Program, to improve literacy and numeracy outcomes for First Nations students.
• $9.2 million to support the opening of Tech Schools in Dandenong and Warrnambool.

Giving kids the best start in life

With 90% of the brain developing before the age of 5, early learning is critical to making sure children can reach their full potential.

Since 2023, we’ve transformed early childhood education for our youngest Victorians.

These reforms mean that every young Victorian can benefit from 2 years of play-based learning before they start school – completely free.

This Budget builds on this investment with a further $2 billion to deliver:

• Free Kinder for 3 and 4-year-olds statewide, saving families up to $2,600 a year for each child.
• Up to 15 hours of kindergarten a week for almost 75,000 3-year-olds statewide.
• Transitioning 4-year-old kindergarten to Pre-Prep, which provides up to 30 hours of play based learning a week. Pre-Prep is already available in Ararat, Gannawarra, Hindmarsh, Murrindindi, Northern Grampians and Yarriambiack, and will expand across the state over the next decade.
• We are also opening 50 government owned and run Early Learning and Childcare Centres in the communities that need them most. Four have already opened their doors, giving families more choices to return to work or study, and 14 more centres are currently under construction to open next year.

As well as delivering Free Kinder, we’re making sure every kinder is a great space for kids to learn. This Budget includes $15 million in Building Blocks grants for providers to make their learning spaces even better.

An investment of $19 million will make sure all kids can participate in early childhood education, including $2.5 million for Yalingbu Yirramboi – the Royal Children’s Hospital School’s kinder program.

This Budget also delivers $5.3 million for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations so they can establish and run kinders and other early childhood services – ensuring kids grow up with a strong connection to culture.

Statewide rollout of Disability Inclusion

Children with disability deserve the same opportunities as every other young Victorian.

This Budget provides $320 million to complete the statewide rollout of our Disability Inclusion reforms.

These groundbreaking reforms are changing the way we support students with disability – introducing extra funding that helps schools recruit and train specialist staff, purchase dedicated resources, and strengthen tailored support for students.

The reforms also help teachers and school staff access specialist expertise, coaching and resources to help build knowledge and skills across the school system.

Backing our teachers and school staff

Great classrooms depend on great teachers – the dedicated professionals who help every student to be their best.

That’s why we’re finding ways to attract, train and retain excellent teachers in Victoria’s public school system.

Training to be a teacher shouldn’t mean struggling to pay the bills. That’s why this Budget invests $68 million across a range of school workforce initiatives including to:

• Provide 200 scholarships to study secondary teaching in specialist subjects.
• Make sure pre-service teachers are paid on placement, with funding for 70,000 placement days.
• Continue the Teach Today and Teach Tomorrow programs, supporting up to 1,200 places in learn‑on‑the-job programs that make it easier to study teaching while working.
• Provide payments and support to encourage up to 280 teachers to relocate where they’re needed most.

This Budget also invests $91 million in our teaching workforce, including:

• $29 million to support graduate teachers with the delivery of the Career Start program. This provides support for our newest teachers with a dedicated mentor and advanced professional learning.
• $25 million to continue the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership for teacher and school leader training.
• $10 million to expand the School-wide Positive Behaviour Support program to an extra 400 schools. Funding will deliver new specialist coaches to work with schools on instilling positive student behaviour, increasing academic success, and improving school culture.

A great education for every young Victorian

A great education sets young Victorians up for success.

But we know that for some kids, it can be more difficult to engage with school. This Budget will help support these students with:

• $57 million to continue the English as an Additional Language program to students who have just arrived in Australia, including refugees or asylum seekers.
• $33 million to continue the Students with Disabilities transport program.
• $31 million to support children known to child protection or in out-of-home care, including the Education Support for Children in Care program, Education Needs Analysis process and the LOOKOUT program.
• $26 million for the Navigator program, which provides outreach and case management services to help kids re-engage with school.
• $6 million for the Smith Family to deliver their Learning for Life Program, helping support 4,000 young Victorians to improve their school attendance and complete their studies.

We also know – academics aren’t the only measure of success.

The VCE Vocational Major allows students to develop skills for work and life.

Victoria has already invested $17 million into changing senior schooling with the Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordination program and the Victorian Pathways Certificate, which gives students another option besides the VCE.

This Budget delivers a further $27 million to support better vocational education for school students, including Jobs, Skills and Pathways Coordinators at every government secondary school.

This investment will strengthen vocational learning opportunities and help school leavers find the right TAFE course, apprenticeship, or job that suits them.