Political strategy and policy influence in Australian school funding: a study of key stakeholder responses to the 2017 federal reforms

Abstract School funding is widely acknowledged in policy and research as both a means of supporting student learning and a key strategy for promoting educational equity. This article analyses how key stakeholders responded to the events surrounding the 2017 school funding reforms put forward by the Coalition federal government and passed by the Australian parliament. Drawing on Bowe et al.’s (2017) theorisation of the Context of Practice phase of policymaking, the analysis positions the reform period as a critical stage in the broader policymaking cycle of the Review of Funding for Schooling (2011). The analysis highlights the political tensions, lobbying techniques, and strategic manoeuvring that played a role in shaping the outcomes of this key phase. At the same time, the work raises broader questions about the extent to which either of the two major political parties can be relied upon to consistently represent and advocate for the interests of students in under-resourced schools. Looking ahead and drawing on Ball’s (1994) Context of Political Strategy, three insights—targeted political engagement and strategic messaging; exerting political pressure on multiple fronts; and fluid political allegiances and coalition building—are presented to begin to further support equity-minded stakeholders to more effectively influence school funding policy in the future for students and schools who require extra support.