Australia has a relatively large degree of choice between schools, a product of historical private and non-profit sector involvement in the provision of schooling after British colonisation. Analysis of school funding data in this report shows that there are more similarities in how schools are funded than differences. This report aims to challenge the idea that there is such a thing as a ‘typical’ government, Catholic or independent school by presenting a statistical profile of Australian schools and showcasing profiles of schools across three states and all three sectors. The report also canvasses policy options for improving school choice and school diversity. All three school sectors play essential roles in providing quality education to Australian students. Government policy into the future should protect this legacy.
