Student Resource Package – Core Student Learning Allocation Funding (Student-Based Funding)

Core Index Stages 1–3 (Reference 5)

Core Index Stages 1–3 provides funding to specialist schools for eligible and approved enrolments based on a student's age range.

Eligibility

The following school/campus types receive the Core Index funding at school level:

• Specialist Schools
• Special campuses of mainstream schools

The following campuses/schools do not receive this allocation:

• Deaf facilities attached to mainstream schools
• Training Centre campuses
• Hospital schools and campuses
• Victorian College for the Deaf
• Aurora School

Funding is calculated at the Indicative and Confirmed budget cycles. Funding is allocated through credit and cash funding.

Calculation

Core Index allocations are determined based on census student enrolment details.

Core Index allocation = Census student enrolments × Stage funding rate

Example: A school with 10 stage 2 enrolments would calculate their Stage 2 funding as:

Stage 2 enrolments (10) × Stage 2 rate. This is repeated for all stages dependent on school enrolments.

Rates 2026

Notes

Specialist school enrolment eligibility and regional approvals must be established for each student.

A regional director has the discretion and authority to approve the enrolment of a student that does not meet the specialist school’s enrolment criteria if it is deemed appropriate.

For the Indicative budget cycle, total enrolments are sourced from the Principal Projections and distributed by existing age profiles. If Principal Projections totals are not provided, existing totals will be rolled over.

For the Confirmed budget cycle, total enrolments are sourced from the February Census.