2019-2022 National School Chaplaincy Program – Overview of the new program

On 8 May 2018, the Commonwealth announced it would continue its commitment to the 2019-2022 National School Chaplaincy Program (NSCP) by providing additional funding of $247 million over four years to 2022.

Senator the Hon. Simon Birmingham, former Federal Minister for Education and Training, wrote to the Hon. Sue Ellery MLC on 25 July 2018 indicating that funding for the State will be $30 914 092 for the four year program.  This equates to total annual funding of $7 728 523 per annum to Western Australia.

A cross- sector panel meeting was held on 18 October 2018 at which both the 2019 panel membership and the funding distribution were decided.  The Department of Education will continue to provide executive and secretariat support for the 2019-2022 National School Chaplaincy Program (NSCP) cross sector panel.

Table 1: 2019 NSCP Cross Sector Panel Membership

Table 2: Approved 2019-2022 National School Chaplaincy Program Funding Distribution

Note:
*Administration funding has been calculated as 3% of total funding
Public sector administration Level 7 and Level 2 (0.4FTE)

2019 NSCP Funded Schools

At the October 2018 cross sector meeting, the panel determined that to ensure continuity of service for schools while new agreements are finalised, the same public schools that received funding in 2018 (through either the National School Chaplaincy Programme or the In School State Funded Chaplaincy Program) will be given the option to continue to receive funding for the 2019 school year.  

All schools will be invited to apply for these services through a new selection process in 2019 for the following three years 2020-2022. 

The Department of Education has continued to add funding to the base rate to match Wage Price Indexation so that schools may continue to contract the same level of services as in 2018.  Public schools will receive $21,453.76 ($25,744.52 for remote and very remote schools).