- Cook Labor Government commits an additional $1.5 billion in new spending in the 2025-26 Budget, including $284 million in new and upgraded school facilities
- The additional investment lifts education spending to a record $8.4 billion in 2025-26 alone, including $669 million school infrastructure investment
- Over the next four years, school infrastructure totals $1.7 billion
- The 2025-26 Budget commences delivery of hundreds of commitments to improve education outcomes, support families, and invest in new schools and upgrades to existing schools across Western Australia
- More than $700 million invested for new school enrolments to meet our growing population, as well as supporting students with disability
- $30 million additional investment in the School of Isolated and Distance Education
- $89 million second round of the WA Student Assistance Payment closing 4 July
The Cook Labor Government has committed an additional $1.5 billion investment in education in the 2025-26 Budget to commence delivery of election commitments, keep pace with our growing population and improve education outcomes. The investment also includes a further $284 million for school infrastructure.
In 2025-26, education spending will increase to a record $8.4 billion as part of the Cook Government's commitment to delivering high-quality education and school facilities close to where young Western Australians live.
Over the next four years, the Cook Labor Government will invest $1.7 billion in school infrastructure, including $669 million in 2025-26, which is almost double the annual infrastructure spend when Labor came to office.
The additional $1.5 billion in new spending in this Budget includes more than $700million to ensure Western Australian schools have the staff and resources to accommodate enrolment growth for our growing population and provide high-quality programs for all students.
The increased investment includes $394.6million to support students with disability, as well as a further $36.3 million for English as an Additional Language or Dialect and $24.7million for the School of Special Educational Needs.
The 2025-26 Budget commences delivery of the Cook Government's range of election commitments for Education including:
- $88.7 million to provide a second round of the WA Student Assistance Payment providing cost-of-living support to WA families with school-aged children, with applications to close on 4 July;
- $133.9 million to progress planning for 17 major school upgrades, including Como Secondary College, and construction of Brabham Senior High School;
- $93.8 million to commence the first tranche of minor upgrades to 61 schools, air conditioning upgrades to 45 schools as part of the Cool the Schools program, and signalised road crossings to enhance student safety;
- $32.8 million to deliver on more than 500 local commitments for facility and equipment upgrades for schools across Western Australia;
- $29 million to pilot free full-time school-based kindy for four-year olds at ten pilot sites across Western Australia;
- $28 million to expand the School Breakfast Program to five days per week at over 670 locations across the State;
- $10 million for school canteens to purchase equipment, upgrade canteen kitchen facilities and employ staff to provide healthy and affordable lunches;
- $8 million to provide further cost-of-living support for families living in regional and remote WA to assist with the cost of attending Country Week; and
- $8 million for upgrades to remote non-government schools in the Kimberley.
A further $1 million has been budgeted to commence planning for a new secondary school in Alkimos, a primary school in Mount Lawley, and secondary school in the Dawesville catchment area.
The 2025-26 Budget also includes a $30.3 million funding boost for school students in isolated, regional and remote locations for the School of Isolated and Distance Education.
A further $124.9 million will be provided for school maintenance and minor works across the State over the next four years. In addition, the State Government will also invest $27.1 million in new transportable buildings, to enable a flexible and timely expansion of capacity in public schools.
These investments build on a joint $1.6 billion investment by the Commonwealth and WA Governments in local public schools through the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement (BFSA), included in the 2024-25 Mid-year Review, which will mean WA's public school system is fully and fairly funded at 100 per cent of the Schooling Resource Standard by 2026.
Furthermore, since last Budget, more than $1.5billion has been provided over 2024-25 to 2028-29 to fund wage increases and other employee benefits following the finalisation of several enterprise bargaining agreements, including those covering teachers, education assistants and school support officers. These enhanced employee benefits will help to address workload challenges, improve career pathways and attract more quality teachers to regional and remote areas.
For more information, visit https://www.ourstatebudget.wa.gov.au
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"I want all Western Australians - no matter if they live in our suburbs, regional centres, towns, or remote communities - to have access to a great education.
"That's exactly what this Budget will deliver.
"Through our record investment in schools, we're catering for our State's growing population, while ensuring young Western Australians are prepared for the future."
As stated by Education Minister Sabine Winton:
"The Cook Labor Government has a strong record of delivering quality public education for WA families and is further strengthening its investment as part of this Budget.
"Boosting education outcomes is at the forefront of this year's $8.4billion commitment to high-quality education delivery and new and upgraded public school facilities across the State.
"Our public schools continue to be the heart of their communities, and this funding will help deliver the best possible learning environments where students can thrive.
"We're delivering hundreds of dollars of cost-of-living relief to WA families with school-aged children to ensure every student has what they need for school.
"Families and students in regional WA will also benefit from a major boost in funding for the School of Isolated and Distance Education and through the Country Week Assistance Program."
