Infrastructure and student support services have been the focus in the state government's "record" $8 billion spending for education in the Tasmanian 2021-22 state budget.
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This includes $116.2 million of funding for new infrastructure commitments for the 2021-22 period and forward estimates, and not many surprises - with a majority of commitments already announced during the election campaign.
INFRASTRUCTURE
In the North, Exeter High School is the big winner, with the government committing to an $11 million major redevelopment.
The majority of this redevelopment is not set to occur until the 2023-24 financial year, however, with only $150,000 budgeted for this financial year.
The construction of six new Child and Family Learning Centres have been budgeted at $26.6 million, with three to commence construction within this financial year. East Tamar has been identified as a site for this.
A range of schools around the state are also set for an infrastructure renew, with the North and North East claiming six of the 12 schools included for a chunk of the $10 million allocated over a five-year period.
These include South George Town Primary, Mowbray Heights Primary, Lilydale District, Glen Dhu Primary, Ringarooma Primary and Campbell Town District School.
Legana Primary School's $24 million construction is also still kicking along, with $2.57 million budgeted for this financial year. The larger portions of funding will come in the following financial years.
Campbell Town District School and Bothwell District School will also receive $2 million each over three years to consolidate and upgrade their agricultural facilities and expand their agricultural VET programs.
Both schools are only allocated $100 000 each for this financial year, however.
IN THE CLASSROOM
Looking broadly across the state, $56 million over four years has been allocated for disability funding and education adjustments to support students across government schools.
This will include funding to increase the number of in-school literacy coaches around the state to 40, to help get year 7 students up to national minimum reading standards. This will commence in 2022.
Almost $4 million, spread across four years, has been budgeted to provide free access to speech pathologists, psychologists and social workers in Child and Family Learning Centres, as was promised in the election.
Over four years, $8 million of additional funding will continue government programs to support students impacted by trauma, including new professional development opportunities for relevant staff.
This funding will prioritise graduate teachers and regional and remote schools.
More than $5 million will be used to recruit 11.4 full-time Grade 4 nurses and three full-time Grade 6 Clinical Nurse Educators, over four years. This will add to the 42.7 full time school nurses already in the education system.
TasTAFE spending
As announced earlier this week, $135.5 million is in the budget for skills and training, with $98.6 million of this set aside to fund the "evolution" of TasTAFE into a Government Business Enterprise.
This funding, to be spread over four years, includes $37.6 million to deliver an addition 100 extra TasTAFE teachers, $10 million for a virtual campus.
Facility upgrades and the transition to the new TAFE model have been budgeted to $45 million.