School education

​​​​​​Strategic objective: Every student achieving and realising their full potential

We are preparing every student for a brighter future by equipping them with the knowledge and skills they need. Our investment in education ensures children and young people have every opportunity to realise their full potential at school and establish strong foundations to live happy, healthy lives and contribute to our communities in the future.

More Teachers, Better Education

We are committed to creating safe, supportive and high-quality learning environments where educators and leaders feel valued and connected to their school communities. Through the More Teachers, Better Education commitment, we are investing $222.1 million over 4 years to strengthen our system’s response to teacher recruitment, capability and workload, address student behaviour and lift education standards across Queensland schools.

Key initiatives under the plan include a range of measures to support positive student behaviour, strengthened responses to bullying, a renewed focus on the basics—mathematics and English, and enhanced professional development opportunities.

Brighter futures education strategy

In 2026 we proudly launched the Brighter futures: Delivering excellence in every state school, for every student strategy (Brighter futures). This strategy continues our collective journey to strengthen excellence across Queensland’s state schooling system.

At the centre of Brighter futures are shared priorities that will deliver excellence through high expectations for every student, enable schools to make local decisions within our system, leverage digital innovation and responsive systems to unleash innovation in schools, and build a confident and professional workforce to deliver what matters for every student.

To realise our vision, the strategy focuses on educational achievement, and belonging and engagement across key stages of learning:

• Starting strong—from Kindy to early primary.
• Building on foundations—middle and upper primary school.
• On track for success—junior secondary.
• Ready for the future—senior secondary.

As we implement our education strategy, we are engaging in robust monitoring to ensure we are on track to achieve outcomes, understand impacts and identify areas for further focus and improvement.

Further information on Brighter futures can be accessed.

Red tape reduction

The department is committed to providing Queensland state school teachers with a fresh start by cutting red tape and reducing administrative burdens, enabling them to focus on what matters most—engaging with their students and delivering high-quality teaching and learning experiences.

In 2025–26, we released the Red tape reduction plan 2025–28—a clear roadmap to embed red tape reduction into our ways of working and to prioritise initiatives that will have the greatest impact on teachers and school leaders. Benefits are already being realised, with actions underway to save teachers and school leaders’ time.

Back to basics

A bright future is built on strong foundations—every child mastering reading, writing and mathematics. We're committing to the basics, setting high expectations, and providing early support, so no student is left behind, wherever they live, and whatever pathway they choose. In 2025, we introduced the Year 1 Phonics Check and strongly recommended the use of the Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS) 8th Edition, for students from Prep to Year 8, supporting the early identification of academic risk. To support the implementation, comprehensive training on how to use and interpret the screening tools was provided, and funding was allocated through the Teacher Relief Scheme to backfill teachers conducting the Year 1 Phonics Check. This ensured that training and administration did not add to their existing workloads.

Building on this, in 2026, we trialled an early years numeracy screener. The trial explored tools that offer quick, efficient and reliable methods for early identification of students requiring extra support, to ensure they are ready to progress in their learning, furthering our commitment to delivering a world-class education.

We also contributed to the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority’s iterative review of Australian Curriculum: F–2 Mathematics to ensure there is clarity for teachers of mathematics in the early years.

NAPLAN readiness

Enhancing learners' self-efficacy in digital assessment supports learners throughout their NAPLAN journey.

Building on the strong participation rates achieved in 2024–25, we developed resources to extend students' digital readiness, building their skills and familiarity with the online testing platform. These tools and targeted teaching resources empower students to demonstrate their literacy and numeracy knowledge as they develop their use of the national assessment platform. Learning opportunities are also embedded in English and mathematics units of work to help students boost their NAPLAN digital skills.

This year, we implemented a new NAPLAN readiness plan to support schools, staff, students and families to feel more prepared and confident to participate in NAPLAN. The plan provided a range of supports and resources designed to encourage participation and performance.

Some of the new resources included:

• the 2026 student free day pack to help schools prepare
• guidance materials for teachers and school leaders
• NAPLAN hack videos with practical tips for students to engage in assessments
• insights webinars to support teachers and leaders.

There is clear and consistent information on the department’s website for parents to help support their children in preparing for NAPLAN. Additionally, we partnered with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority and the Joint Parent Committee Queensland to deliver an informative webinar for parents ahead of NAPLAN.

Back to School Boost

Recognising the challenges many families face with the rising cost of living, we introduced the Back to School Boost as a proactive measure to provide support.

Under this initiative, all primary school students (Prep to Year 6) enrolled in and attending state, non-state, or home education received a contribution of $100 for the 2025 school year to help families cover the cost of school essentials, such as books, stationery, devices, camps and excursions. This initiative will continue in 2026–27.

Every day counts

When students attend school every day, they build strong routines, deepen relationships and maximise their learning.

In 2025–26, the department refreshed its Every day counts resources, outlining a shared commitment by students, parents and carers, schools and the community to improve student attendance. A range of materials for parents and carers and schools, including strategies to boost attendance, resources on the importance of regular attendance and resources to support student absence management are available.

On track for success

Students are empowered to reach their full potential when they are supported at key educational stages. The Junior Secondary: On track for success project fosters excellence in every state school through actions that recognise the changing needs of young adolescent learners and provides targeted support for positive transitions from upper primary to junior secondary.

In 2025–26, a suite of resources was introduced to help schools reflect on and enhance current practices. These resources included evidence-based insights, guiding principles, a school improvement reflection tool, strategies for effective classroom practices and an online professional development course for teachers and school leaders.

A series of masterclasses held in 2026 supported schools to plan for the engagement of upper primary and junior secondary learners.

Supporting student engagement and re-engagement

The department is committed to supporting student engagement and re-engagement in education.

In 2025–26, we delivered a range of interventions, services and support to keep students engaged and support students to re-engage in schooling, including through:

• Intensive Education Case Managers, who connected 3,827 students to educational opportunities.
• Regional staff, who assisted disengaged young people to re-enter the education system or access appropriate pathways to education, training or employment.
• Link and Launch Coordinators, who supported 943 Year 12 graduates in 2025 with post-school transitions, enabling pathways to further education, training or employment.
• FlexiSpaces, which provided targeted education program options in 2025 to 3,556 students showing early signs of disengagement across 123 state schools.
• Attendance and Engagement (A&E) programs, which assisted 5,230 Aboriginal students and Torres Strait Islander students across 59 state schools in 2025 to improve their attendance and engagement.
• Queensland Pathways State College, which supported 601 senior secondary students across 9 campuses in 2025, helping them work towards achieving a Queensland Certificate of Education and transiting to further education, training or employment.
• Introducing the Education and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2026 (EOLA Act), delivering reforms to support continuity of education through legislative recognition of Education and Training Centres (ETCs) in youth detention settings and education re-entry and transition services through regional staff and prescribed external providers.
• Continued strengthening of regional cross-agency work to support vulnerable students and families to access multi-agency support and remain engaged in education. This included brokering internal and external actions, improving information sharing, reducing duplication, and supporting more consistent ways of working within and across agencies and regions.

Alternative learning curriculum resource hub

Personalised and flexible learning opportunities can transform educational outcomes for students facing challenges engaging with learning.

In 2025–26, we launched the alternative learning curriculum resource​. This suite of resources is designed to support students in Years 3–12 to build the skills and motivation to re-engage with education or work towards future employment opportunities, empowering them to reach their full potential.

This initiative offers alternative learning options and tailored pathways, ensuring all students are engaged, supported and empowered to succeed.

Positive pathways for young people in contact with youth justice

Young people who engage in antisocial and criminal behaviour risk exclusion from important support mechanisms such as school, their families and service providers.

In 2025–26, we delivered a range of initiatives and reforms for young people in contact with the youth justice system to support positive pathways and enhance rehabilitation outcomes, including:

• Supporting 2,338 youth people who appeared before the Childrens Court to connect with appropriate, supported education, training, or employment pathways through the Education Justice Initiative (EJI). In January 2026, the EJI scope was expanded to include intervention services for young people at risk of involvement with the youth justice system.
• Delivering specialised alternative learning programs, in partnership with non-government organisations, for 48 young people aged between 10 and 16 in contact with the youth justice system or exiting detention in Cairns, Townsville, Ipswich and Mount Isa, to re-engage with learning, address behavioural or social issues, and achieve positive transitions to education, training or employment.
• Piloting new regional approaches to intensive case management for young people who are disengaged or not currently enrolled in a state school, as part of the Premier’s priority to reduce victims of crime numbers across the state, in the priority areas of Ipswich, Cairns and Townsville.
• Collaborating with the Department of Youth Justice and Victim Support to increase education attendance in youth detention settings. Implemented actions have resulted in improvement in engagement with education, with 86.5% attendance at scheduled sessions in the Education and Training Centres in detention in 2026.
• Piloting tailored education programs for young people temporarily held in Queensland Police Service watch-houses, with teaching services commencing in the Cairns and Mount Isa watch-houses in April 2026, and planning underway for expansion to the Townsville, Southport, Brisbane and Ipswich watch-houses in the second half of 2026.
• Improving information sharing with relevant departments to ensure continuity of support across services.
• Introducing the Education and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2026, delivering reforms to recognise Education and Training Centres in detention settings as educational institutions.

Behaviour Boost

When behaviour is well-managed, classrooms become environments where learning flourishes, relationships strengthen, and every student has a brighter future.

To help schools support and manage behaviour, we continued to provide the Behaviour Boost—a dedicated resource that empowers schools to respond to behaviour using evidence-informed practices. This initiative offers schools the flexibility to engage school-based Behaviour Specialists who work closely with teachers, teacher aides and school leaders to implement proven, evidence-informed strategies. To ensure that support remains targeted and effective, schools can tailor resources to meet the unique needs of their staff, students and community.

Building Better Behaviour—Capability

In 2025–26, we released the Building Better Behaviour online program and Building Better Behaviour—Behaviour Capability Resources Packages to provide school staff with a comprehensive suite of professional learning opportunities. These resources offer topic-specific learning to build staff capability and respond effectively to student behaviour using evidence-based practices.

Positive Behaviour for Learning

Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) is an evidence-based, multi-tiered system of support that provides staff with practical strategies to foster positive learning and working environments. In 2025–26, implementation of PBL continued, with schools using the framework reporting fewer behaviour incidents, reduced referrals for support, and improved social, emotional and behavioural competencies.

Each region has a permanently funded, full-time Principal Advisor, PBL, to support implementation.

Preventing and responding to bullying

Bullying is a complex community issue that can significantly impact students, and addressing bullying behaviours requires a whole-community approach. Schools, students, parents, carers and the wider community all play a crucial role in fostering safe, supportive environments and promoting respectful relationships.

In 2025–26, we continued to address bullying by:

• launching professional development modules for staff on recognising, responding to and preventing bullying
• providing support through Rapid Support Teams to work closely with school leaders, staff and families to provide tailored, evidence-based interventions, including the Parent Navigator service to further assist families
• forming the Anti-Bullying Expert Advisory Panel to provide advice and guide the delivery of effective anti-bullying strategies
• funding additional chaplains and student wellbeing officers in schools to provide support across the whole school community
• expanding Parentline operating hours to offer free, confidential, and immediate support to parents and carers, as well as additional online moderated, counsellor-led peer groups—My Circle for Parents—where parents can share experiences, seek advice and support one another
• promoting the eSafety Commissioner’s step-by-step guide, providing schools with practical tools and clear guidance to effectively identify, manage and respond to incidents involving altered images
• developing eSafety on-demand professional learning modules to provide practical strategies to respond to online incidents, promote inclusion and digital wellbeing, and create safer school environments. The modules focus on the prevention of and response to modern bullying, aligning with current best practices
• updating the Respect program to include opportunities to address bullying through the delivery of respectful relationships education.

Supporting Aboriginal learners and Torres Strait Islander learners

We are committed to delivering excellence in teaching and learning for every Aboriginal student and Torres Strait Islander student. By working together, we strive to close the gap in educational outcomes and empower students to achieve and reach their full potential.

In 2025–26, we continued to build on this commitment by:

• funding the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Attendance and Engagement Program to support 5,230 students as at the end of Semester 2 2025, to attend school, engage in learning, complete Year 12, and transition to employment, training or further education
• offering Indigenous Education Grant payments to remove barriers to student enrolment, engagement and achievement, helping them progress at the same rate as their non-Indigenous peers
• supporting an additional 1,368 high-achieving Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in Years 4–6 through the Solid Pathways—STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) online program, providing enrichment opportunities and bringing the total number of registrations since 2020 to 19,548
• supporting 370 high-achieving Indigenous students from 58 state schools to participate in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Aspirations Program. These Year 10–12 students increased their critical and creative thinking skills through a series of academic challenges while exploring further education and training pathways
• funding 392 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander senior state school students to complete a Certificate II qualification, as part of the VET Pathways Program. This program was delivered in partnership with Tallebudgera Outdoor and Environmental Education Centre, providing students with practical skills and job-ready pathways through nationally recognised qualifications
• providing First Nations Language Program grants to revitalise and educate students in 21 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and dialects in Queensland schools
• supporting 9 Aboriginal teachers and Torres Strait Islander teachers to complete the Master of Indigenous Languages Education (MILE) qualification at the University of Sydney
• registering an additional 172 educators in the English as an Additional Language or Dialect Hub, which provides support to recognise and respond to the language strengths and learning needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students learning standard Australian English, bringing the total number of registrations to 6,341
• delivering professional learning in cultural capability to deepen staff understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, histories, cultures, and ways of knowing, being and doing
• assisting Aboriginal students and Torres Strait Islander students in remote and discrete communities through the Transition Support Service (TSS), helping them transition to distance learning, boarding schools or secondary schools in other communities.

Supporting rural and remote students

Geographic location should never be a barrier to education.

In 2025–26, the department supported students in rural and remote communities through a range of targeted programs to improve access to high-quality education, regardless of location. These initiatives strengthened curriculum access, learning opportunities, and support for students, schools and communities.

This work was delivered through:

• The Rural and Remote Education Access Program, which provided over $5.6 million to 311 schools and 57 clusters across 6 regions. These funds supported locally tailored projects to enhance curriculum opportunities, improve access to ICT, and enhance staff capability and community engagement.
• The School of Distance Education—ICT Subsidy Scheme, which supported geographically isolated and other eligible students with annual subsidies of $472 for computer equipment and $517 for broadband internet access. This initiative helped ease cost-of-living pressures for families in rural and remote communities, with both subsidies indexed annually to the Consumer Price Index.
• Three state school boarding facilities located at Western Cape College (Weipa), Spinifex State College (Mount Isa) and Dalby State High School–Bunya Campus (Dalby). These facilities supported students facing geographic barriers to secondary education in rural and remote communities. In 2025–26, $17.696 million was allocated for operations and maintenance.
• The Queensland Virtual Academy (QVA), which supports a statewide and cohesive approach to increasing equity in student access to curriculum pathways, learning opportunities and teaching expertise in Queensland state schools. The QVA ensured students could access high-quality learning no matter where they live through 4 key services: live online lessons, on-demand learning materials, schools teaching to other schools programs, and targeted and specialist virtual programs. As at Semester 1 2026, 5,727 students from 450 schools accessed QVA services, including small schools programs offering subjects such as Japanese, Science and Digital Technologies.

Together, these initiatives improved access, participation and educational outcomes for rural and remote students across Queensland.

Supporting students with disability

Queensland state schools provide high-quality education to all students, with students with disability able to access and fully participate in learning, supported by reasonable adjustments and tailored teaching strategies to meet their individual needs.

Enrolment Navigators provide personalised guidance to families, helping them understand enrolment pathways, coordinate with their new school, and make confident, informed decisions that support a positive transition. To support students with disability to navigate state school enrolment, the Enrolment Navigator pilot is expanding statewide.

In addition to specialist support staff employed by the department including speech language pathologists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and advisory visiting teachers for sensory or physical disability, funding is also available for non-government organisations to support schools to provide reasonable adjustments for students with disability. This support may include contributing to individualised learning plans, enhancing staff capability, and providing specialised equipment and resources.

In 2025–26, we continued to support students with disability through:

• launching the Investing in Teachers: Boosting teacher capability–students with disability plan to provide practical training for teachers to confidently manage diverse classrooms, support individual learning needs and maintain academic excellence
• launching the Sensory-Informed Best Practices for Learning (Sensible) guide to help create supportive learning spaces and practices for students with sensory processing challenges
• delivering targeted professional development opportunities for middle leaders to enhance their leadership capabilities in fostering equitable, high-performing learning environments
• providing expert advice, statewide professional development, and on-request sessions through speech-language pathologists to support the use of effective intervention strategies for students with reading disorders, dyslexia and developmental language disorders.

School-to-work transitions

Schools play a vital role in preparing students for their future careers. In 2025–26, the Regional School Industry Partnership (RSIP) program strengthened connections between schools and industry partners through a place-based coordinated approach. These partnerships provided students with practical career-related experiences, helping them make informed decisions about their career pathways and supporting positive transitions to post-school destinations.

The RSIP program also collaborated with industries to expand workforce initiatives to schools across the state, to ensure more students can benefit from practical career-focused opportunities.

The Link and Launch program based in 35 state high schools across the state also supported 943 Year 12 graduates in 2025 to make meaningful post-school transitions to further education, training or employment.

Student wellbeing

When students feel supported, they are better equipped to develop a positive attitude towards education.

Since March 2021, the department has provided mental health literacy training for school leaders, teaching staff and departmental employees who work with students. The training is designed to build foundational mental health knowledge, practical response skills, and strategies to foster supportive and inclusive school environments.

The training equips participants with the skills to recognise and address common mental health challenges, support young people, colleagues and families, and promote positive interactions. By focusing on early intervention and assistance, the training ensures a proactive and inclusive approach to student wellbeing.

Respectful relationships education

Respectful relationships education (RRE) focuses on teaching students how to recognise and practise respect, develop personal and social skills, recognise how gender norms and stereotypes can influence choices and actions, and take action to create equal and respectful communities.

Principals, in collaboration with their school communities, determine the most suitable approach to delivering RRE and select resources that best meet the unique needs of their students and context. Available resources to support the delivery of RRE include the Respectful Relationships Education Hub for information, Respect program for curriculum materials and the RRE Professional Development Hub for self-directed online training materials.

Dignity vending machines

The supply of free period products supports students to participate fully in their education, ensuring no students miss learning time due to lack of access to period products.

Dignity Vending Machines (DVMs) provide students with free, convenient access to period products at school. In 2025–26, the installation of DVMs in schools continued as part of the Share the Dignity in Queensland Schools initiative, with the total number now exceeding 880.

Student protection

The safety of Queensland’s learners is critical to their personal wellbeing and success at school. To uphold the highest standards of student protection, the department has a range of documents that guide child protection practices, including the child and student protection policy, student protection procedure, student protection guidelines, allegations against workers in the area of child and student protection procedure and the 'Aware. Protective. Safe.'​ strategy.

These documents, along with comprehensive resources and training, provide educators with clear guidance on implementing strategies to prevent harm to students. They also ensure that employees and school visitors are equipped to respond to and report any concerns about student safety in a timely and appropriate manner.

All departmental employees and visitors to state schools must complete annual mandatory student protection training tailored to their role. Regional Principal Advisors, Student Protection, support schools in meeting their obligations by providing specialised training and guidance on student protection matters.

In 2025–26, student protection was strengthened by:

• updating Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) team resources, including a new fact sheet for principals, to support school leaders in making referrals through a coordinated, multi-agency approach
• making SCAN team system induction materials, developed for core member agencies by the Department of Families, Seniors, Disability Services and Child Safety, available to all staff
• integrating the Child Safe Organisations Act 2024 (Qld) mandatory Child Safe Standards and Universal Principle on cultural safety within departmental policies, procedures and mandatory training to strengthen the department’s commitment to providing child safe environments and maintaining a child safe culture
• fast tracking implementation of the Reportable Conduct Scheme, requiring notification to the Queensland Family and Child Commission for allegations or convictions of reportable conduct by a department 'worker' from 1 July 2026
• strengthening mandatory student protection training content on cumulative harm, domestic and family violence, student protection reporting, monitoring and supporting students for whom there have been student protection concerns and professional boundaries
• expanding guidance on the signs and impacts of domestic and family violence for children and young people and embedding current laws and frameworks in the domestic and family violence online learning module for staff
• delivering a new online training package to build staff capability to recognise and address the impact of bias in student protection
• implementing new Blue card requirements for parent volunteers, Parents and Citizens and Parents and Friends associations, and individuals and businesses providing services in schools.

Generative artificial intelligence

The effective use of digital tools by teachers and learners is essential for responding to and adapting to a rapidly changing world. Developing awareness of the capabilities, benefits and challenges of digital tools—along with their safe, ethical and responsible use, particularly in the context of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI)—prepares every child and student for a digitally enabled future.

In 2025–26, the department introduced Corella, a generative AI (genAI) tool designed specifically for schools. Custom-built for educational purposes, Corella operates within a secure framework, ensuring all data remains private and is stored locally in Australia.

Teachers can use Corella to streamline administrative tasks, create resources, and enhance teaching and learning practices, while students can leverage it to brainstorm, research, revise, paraphrase and check their understanding.

Guidance for schools on incorporating genAI into teaching and learning has been delivered, including genAI-related learning modules and orientation workshops designed to help school staff enhance their genAI capabilities.

Student Technology Equity Partnership initiative

Access to digital technologies is essential for ensuring all students have equal opportunities to succeed, regardless of their socioeconomic background.

In 2025–26, our Student Technology Equity Partnership (STEP) initiative continued its commitment to providing up to 140,000 digital devices by June 2028 for students facing financial disadvantage. With more than 39,165 devices already approved, STEP is making a tangible difference by enhancing learning opportunities and reducing the digital divide.

Place-based responses

Genuine collaboration between schools ensures every student, regardless of their school, has access to quality education.

In 2025–26, place-based responses brought together schools, early years services and community partners to plan, design and deliver education that meets the evolving needs of communities. These strategies enhanced outcomes for children, students, families and communities through holistic and integrated partnerships with government agencies, industry and community organisations. By leveraging local strengths and whole-of-government collaboration, place-based approaches provided every child and young person with equitable opportunities to access quality education to realise their full potential.

The Partnership Initiative, a key place-based response, saw 42 schools working collaboratively with families and communities to develop local solutions and share decision making, ensuring children have the best chance of success at school. The initiative’s design leverages the combined impact of additional school resourcing, including new roles and skilled staff, intensive support for school leaders, governance focused on removing barriers and driving innovation, and embedding differentiated support into core systems and processes to create and sustain meaningful change. An evaluation of the impact of system-level enablers and differentiated support will be conducted to inform ongoing place-based responses.

A place-based Educational Precinct trial is also underway in Mount Isa and Bundaberg, to test a networked approach to schooling. This model enables schools within a geographic area to collaborate on planning and share staffing, facilities and resources to deliver more strategic, community-responsive education through co-designed solutions. The trial will conclude in 2026.

Regulating home education

Queensland Home Education (QHE) regulates home education registrations. QHE’s regulation activities include assessing applications for and reports on home education, and providing guidance to parents to support them to meet regulatory requirements. In addition, QHE enables young people to engage in vocational education and training and work experience.

In 2025–26, QHE strengthened relationships and referral pathways between departmental partners to better support vulnerable children transitioning in and out of home education. In addition, an intensive review of internal and external policies, procedures and practices is underway to reduce red tape, improve efficiency and enhance clarity for the sector.

International Quality Schools Unit

The International Quality Schools (IQS) unit is responsible for the regulation of schools approved on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) to offer enrolment to overseas students on a student visa and organisations offering an International Secondary Student Exchange (ISSE) program across Queensland. IQS regulatory responsibilities for CRICOS-registered schools include registration and compliance monitoring of both non-state schools and the department, as an education provider for the state-school system, under a shared responsibility framework with the Australian Government.

IQS responsibility for ISSE programs includes registration and compliance monitoring of not-for-profit organisations and schools with sister-school arrangements and the provision of visa support documentation to students participating in an ISSE program. IQS has a strong focus on engagement with both internal and external stakeholders to support compliance, and industry growth of international education in the Queensland school sector.

Service area performance

Objective

Queensland students engaged in learning, achieving and successfully transitioning to further education, training and work.

Description

Delivering Prep to Year 12 in Queensland state schools to prepare young people for successful transitions into further education, training and work and administering funding to Queensland non-state schools.

Table 3: School Education performance measures

Notes:

¹ The National Assessment Program—Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) tests are conducted in March each year. The 2025–26 actuals reflect results from the 2025 school year. NAPLAN proficiency levels represent the aspirational goals for achievement against these service standards and should be read in conjunction with other student achievement data.

² The parent school opinion survey is a voluntary survey. The variance between the 2025–26 target/estimate and the 2025–26 actual represents the differences in the opinions and reflections of those participating in the survey compared to the high expectations set by state schools.

³ This is a new measure and the methodology is not comparable to the previous 'Average cost of service per student' measure.

Additional performance information

The following data is also available:

• Attendance rates (Aboriginal students and Torres Strait Islander students and all Queensland students)
• School Disciplinary Absences
• Apparent retention rates of students
• Proportion of Young Queenslanders aged 15–24 years participating in full-time education and/or work
• School Opinion Survey
• Next Step post-school destination surveys—proportion of all Queensland students (Aboriginal students and Torres Strait Islander students and all Queensland students) who, 6 months after completing Year 12, are participating in education, training or employment
• Year 12 Outcomes—proportion of Year 12 students (Aboriginal students and Torres Strait Islander students and all Queensland students) who are completing or have completed a school-based apprenticeship or traineeship or were awarded one or more of: Queensland Certificate of Education, International Baccalaureate Diploma or Vocational Education and Training qualification
• Year 12 Outcomes—proportion of Year 12 students (Aboriginal stu​dents and Torres Strait Islander students and all Queensland students) awarded a Queensland Certificate of Education or Queensland Certificate of Individual Achievement