The National School Reform Agreement is a joint agreement between the Commonwealth, States and Territories to lift student outcomes across Australian schools.
Reflecting the long-standing practice of collaboration between all governments to deliver school education, the Agreement sets out 8 national policy initiatives against 3 reform directions that all parties have agreed to implement across the 5 years to December 2023.
The Agreement has been informed by the findings and recommendations of:
- the Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools
- the Independent Review of Regional, Rural and Remote Education
- the Optimising STEM Industry-School Partnerships report of the STEM Partnerships Forum.
Further detail on the Agreement is in the National School Reform Agreement fact sheet and the national policy initiatives fact sheets.
National Policy Initiatives fact sheets
- A(i) and A(ii): Online Formative Assessment Initiative
- A(iii): Review of senior secondary pathways
- B(i): Reviewing teacher workforce needs
- B(ii): Strengthening the initial teacher education accreditation system
- C(i): National Unique Student Identifier for school students
- C(ii): Australian Education Research Organisation
- C(iii): Improving national data quality
Annual Reports on progress in implementing the national policy initiatives
Bilateral Agreements
States and territories are also required to have a bilateral agreement with the Commonwealth that sets out state-specific actions to improve student outcomes. Bilateral agreements include activities that support particular student cohorts such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, students in regional, rural and remote areas, students with disability and students from a low-SES background.
- Australian Capital Territory – signed on 6 December 2018
- New South Wales – revised on 4 October 2021
- Northern Territory – signed on 5 December 2018
- Queensland – revised on 17 June 2021
- South Australia – signed on 5 November 2018
- Tasmania – signed on 6 December 2018
- Victoria – revised on 5 July 2022
- Western Australia – signed on 3 December 2018
Bilateral agreements also set out minimum state and territory funding contribution requirements as a condition of receiving Commonwealth school funding. Reporting guidance has been developed to assist states and territories to report on their funding contributions.
Information on implementation of the state-specific actions can be found in the annual progress reports below.
2022 Progress reports
- Australian Capital Territory 2022 Progress Report
- New South Wales 2022 Progress Report
- Northern Territory 2022 Progress Report
- Queensland 2022 Progress Report
- South Australia 2022 Progress Report
- Tasmania 2022 Progress Report
- Victoria 2022 Progress Report
- Western Australia 2022 Progress Report
2021 Progress reports
- Australian Capital Territory 2021 Progress Report
- New South Wales 2021 Progress Report
- Northern Territory 2021 Progress Report
- Queensland 2021 Progress Report
- South Australia 2021 Progress Report
- Tasmania 2021 Progress Report
- Victoria 2021 Progress Report
- Western Australia 2021 Progress Report
2020 Progress reports
- Australian Capital Territory 2020 Progress Report
- New South Wales 2020 Progress Report
- Northern Territory 2020 Progress Report
- Queensland 2020 Progress Report
- South Australia 2020 Progress Report
- Tasmania 2020 Progress Report
- Victoria 2020 Progress Report
- Western Australia 2020 Progress Report
2019 Progress reports
- Australian Capital Territory 2019 Progress Report
- New South Wales 2019 Progress Report
- Northern Territory 2019 Progress Report
- Queensland 2019 Progress Report
- South Australia 2019 Progress Report
- Tasmania 2019 Progress Report
- Victoria 2019 Progress Report
- Western Australia 2019 Progress Report
Further information can be found in the Quality Schools frequently asked questions.