?A HIGHER level of Gonski fund?ing to non-government schools ?and a lower severe disability ? register IQ cut-off in Tasmania are understood to be the reasons Premier Lara Giddings has not ?signed up to the education reform package.
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Concerns have been raised since the end of April over the ?reasons Ms Giddings was holding back.
According to sources within the education sector, ?funding of the non-government sector has not been at the levels it was supposed to be _ and this is now coming back to bite the government.
The Tasmanian Disability Education Reform Lobby has also raised concerns that because the IQ cut-off in Tasmania is lower (55) compared with other states (70), students who fall in that gap ?will miss out on funding under Gonski.
State and territory ministers have been able to sign up to the reforms since the Council of Australian Government's meeting on April 19.
New South Wales was the first to agree at the end of April, followed last week by the Australian Capital Territory.
Under the reforms, Tasmania is set to receive $400 million over six years for a contribution of $140 ?million. Yet Ms Giddings, or Education Minister Nick McKim, seem not to be able to disclose the reason why Tasmania is holding back.
Under questioning by opposition education spokesman Michael Ferguson in budget estimates on Tuesday, Mr McKim said he could not explain the substance of negotiations because of a confidentiality agreement.
Mr Ferguson questioned why the state was putting at risk ?federal funding of $248 million by not signing up.
?He said the Liberals supported the Gonski version of Gonski.
In recent weeks both the Independent Schools Tasmania and the Tasmanian Catholic Education Office have sought meetings with the Premier to raise their concerns.
Disability lobby group spokeswoman Kristen Desmond said she agreed with Gonski. but was uncertain over what it would mean for many families with children with a disability.
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