Communication requirements
Schools can communicate Parent Contributions Arrangements using any communication tool that is suitable for their school context. All communication must comply with the requirements of the Parent Contributions policy. This includes letters in the post, email, or using third party communication tools.
It is recommended that schools send communications about the following year’s arrangements 6 weeks prior to the end of the previous school year, to enable parents and carers to plan and budget for extra-curricular items and learning materials for students to own.
When inviting voluntary contributions, schools must use the Parent Contributions Arrangements – including voluntary contributions template (DOCX) (staff login required)(opens in a new window).
Schools can decide not to invite voluntary contributions at all. If schools are not inviting voluntary contributions, but are offering user-pays extra-curricular items or activities, or inviting parents or carers to buy learning items for students to own and use, they must use the department’s Parent Contributions Arrangements – extra-curricular and learning materials only template (DOCX) (staff login required)(opens in a new window).
For transparency, schools must publish Parent Contributions Arrangements on the school’s website. This includes publishing all the following on the same webpage, which will demonstrate compliance with the Minimum Standards for School Registration:
- Parent Contributions Arrangements (using a department approved template including the one-page informationfor families)
- Parent Contributions Arrangements covering each year level, where these are different from one another
- a link to the department’s Parent Contributions policy on PAL (this policy)
- learning materials for students to own (including textbooks, and digital device information, if applicable).
When inviting parents and carers to make voluntary contributions or other payments schools must:
- use the department’s approved templates, following all instructions, including not editing text that is marked as not to be edited, or adding any text
- advise carers of students in out-of-home care (as defined in the Supporting Students in Out-of-Home Care policy), and parents and carers who hold a financially means-tested card such as a health care card that the invitation to make voluntary contributions does not apply to them
- include information about the financial supports available, including the Camps Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF). Refer to the Financial Help for Families policy
- use language that is easy to understand, culturally appropriate and offer funded Interpreting and Translation Services for key school communications, if required
- use the department’s approved wording for reminder notices.
Schools must not:
- issue reminder notices about voluntary contributions more than once per term
- approach or communicate with students for the purpose of requesting or encouraging voluntary contributions from their parents or carers
- approach parents and carers for the purpose of encouraging or reminding them about voluntary contributions outside of once termly reminders
- use coercion or harassment including repeated contribution reminders.
Where a school has communicated Parent Contributions Arrangements that are not compliant with the Parent Contributions policy, the school must review its current arrangements and make the necessary modifications. The school must then publish an updated version of the arrangements on its website and provide it to the school community. It is recommended schools offer refunds to families where an item or activity was incorrectly presented as user-pays. Refer to the Refunds section for more information.
Approved wording for reminder notices
Schools can send personalised reminder notices about voluntary contributions to parents no more than once per term. Each reminder notice can include contribution invitations previously made for the current school year as well as new invitations.
Schools must not send reminder notices about voluntary contributions to carers of students in out-of-home care or parents or carers who hold a financially means-tested card such as a health care card. It is recommended that schools not send reminder notices to families who have sought financial assistance or have indicated they are experiencing financial hardship, consistent with the Financial Help for Families policy.
All reminder notices sent by schools, whether via letters in the post, email or using an online communication tool, must use the approved wording below:
Dear [families/parents and carers]
We are writing to provide a friendly reminder about the [insert school name] voluntary contributions towards the enhanced programs, resources and opportunities we offer this year. If you would like to make a voluntary contribution, you can still do so. Please see our [insert year 20xx] Parent Contributions Arrangements here/attached [link to or attach the arrangements published on school website].
Making a voluntary contribution is your choice. There is no expectation or pressure for you to contribute. We understand that every family’s circumstances are different.
For information on the Department of Education’s Parent Contributions policy please see: Parent Contributions: Policy.
Yours sincerely
[Principal Signature Block]
[School Council Signature Block]
When communicating with parents and carers during the year about final costs and/or dates for extra-curricular items and activities (which are user-pays), schools must include the following wording:
[Insert item or activity title] is an extra-curricular item or activity. Accessing these items and activities requires payment, but financial help may be available. For a confidential discussion about how to access financial help, please contact: [insert contract name, phone number and email].
Recognition of voluntary contributions to building and/or library funds
Schools can only recognise voluntary contributions from parents and carers made to building and/or library funds. When recognising these contributions, schools must:
- ensure each student has the same access to curriculum items or activities regardless of whether a student’s parent or carer has contributed
- not give parents and carers who have made contributions to the building and/or library funds any material benefit, such as a curriculum or non-curriculum related gift, advertising space or naming rights
- recognise the contributions in ways that are non-material, for example, a letter of acknowledgement, inclusion on a donor board, or a mention in a school newsletter
- treat all parents and carers who contribute to these funds fairly and transparently. Similar contributions must be acknowledged in a similar way
- seek and receive consent from the parent or carer who contributed, prior to acknowledging them in public. Unless the parent or carer explicitly provides consent, any record of their contributions must be kept confidential
- ensure that public acknowledgements are not made in a way that could coerce or harass families that have not chosen to contribute.
Refer to the Philanthropic Partnerships policy and the Sponsorship policy for further information.
Contact person for Parent Contributions and financial help
The school must nominate suitable staff members to be school contacts for parents and carers who have queries about Parent Contributions or who want to discuss financial help options.
This may be one or more staff members, including the principal, business manager or staff members responsible for student welfare, who will be responsible for working with and responding to parents and carers.
Refer to the Financial Help for Families policy for further information.
Updated