The ICPA WA Policy Priorities 2026 outline key actions to improve educational access and equity for rural and remote families in Western Australia. The document highlights urgent needs in five focus areas:
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Allowances – Increase the Boarding Away from Home Allowance (BAHA), introduce a conveyance allowance for School of the Air (SOTA) families, and allow pre-compulsory children enrolled in distance education programs to access the Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) Distance Education Allowance.
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Distance Education / SOTA – Introduce a Remuneration for Isolated Classroom Supervisors (RICS), and ensure distance education families have fit-for-purpose internet services.
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Rural & Remote Schools – Improve teacher housing and incentives, expand curriculum support through SIDE, expand the full-time Kindergarten trial, introduce VACSWIM for SOTA students in Kindergarten, upgrades to camp schools, and ensure community members have an appropriately weighted contribution in Principal Selection Panels.
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Student Accommodation – Introduce reviews into State-run residential and agricultural colleges, ensure stakeholders are meaningfully consulted in Boarding Standard for Australian Schools and Residences reviews, fund boarding and residential upgrades, support for students with disability and neurodiversity, and investigate the feasibility of a Government residential college at a metropolitan secondary school.
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Transport – Ensure transparent and timely communication of school bus service changes, a clear outline of the roles and responsibilities of School Bus Advisory Committees, and higher conveyance support for rural families driving their children to school or the nearest bus stop.
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Specific Education – A further delay to the Thriving Kids program to ascertain if rural and remote kids receive fair, reasonable and inclusive services.
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Early Childhood – Ensuring fair and reasonable access to providers of the In-Home Child Care program.
A full copy of this report can be found on this link
