A 05: Central West Plains Branch (NSW)

The existing selection criteria was adopted during a period of time that is no longer reflective of today’s living arrangements.  It is arbitrary to require a child who lives more than 16kms, but less than 56kms, to attend their nearest local educational facility purely because their home happens to be located closer than 4.5km from a point of collection, whilst at the same time, children on the exact same bus route will achieve funding.  The outcome is such that a child who actually lives closer to town than other children will receive the allowance, whilst those at a greater distance may not.

This rule is seeking to exclude from funding any child who happens to reside in a dwelling close to a main road.  This location does not however necessarily mean the student has access to an equitable educational experience.  The rule does not contemplate that an eligible family may have access to a larger school which provides extensive opportunities, choice of subjects and extra-curricular activities whilst a family living closer to a smaller less resourced school in a lesser populated area may not be eligible.  It is an inconsistent and unfair approach to eligibility.

Further, the rule fails to take into consideration other impediments that exist with regard to public bus travel for example alternating routes that are not currently properly considered.  The rule needs to be amended to more accurately reflect the unique challenges faced by rural students which should not be determined purely by distance from the bus stop.  

This particular rule is one of the single most inequitable forms of determining funding in all of the allowances currently available and creates huge unjust division amongst rural families seeking an education that is dependent on a school bus route over which an individual family has no control.