School fund wrangle

QUEENSLAND public and private schools will miss out on more than $4 billion in funding next year unless negotiations between the State and Federal governments can be sorted in the next seven days.

There is a deadline next Friday and if it is not met Federal funds legislatively cannot flow to the state government to pass on to schools.

Negotiations are continuing but have struggled since the Coalition promised a national funding boost of $4.6 billion over 10 years to the Catholic and independent sectors as part of a peace deal.

Queensland Education Minister Grace Grace has been demanding an equivalent windfall before signing up to any school funding arrangements. But unless an agreement is reached soon the state could miss out entirely.

Funding deals have been secured with NSW and South Australian, but Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory, ACT and Tasmania are yet to sign up.

In 2019, Queensland state schools are due to receive $1.82 billion in Federal funds.

Catholic schools are to receive at least $1.4 billion and independent schools $1.04 billion in 2019. But none will flow unless an agreement is reached by December 7.

A spokesperson for Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan said the talks were continuing in good faith.