Resource Allocation Model
Through the School Budget Allocation Report (SBAR), the Resource Allocation Model (RAM) delivers annual budget allocations to each NSW public school based on student needs and school context.
The RAM recognises that each school is unique, and that student and school needs are not all the same. It uses data identifying the characteristics of schools and students to deliver allocations through a base and loadings approach.
The base allocation provides funding for the core cost of educating each student and operating a school, including staffing, site specific and initiative allocations. Needs-based equity loadings and targeted funding provide funding to support additional student needs.
School budget allocations are provided to schools annually through the SBAR. Schools receive their SBAR in Term 4, showing their budget allocations for the following year.
Most SBAR allocations are updated in the SBAR Adjustments, provided to schools in late Term 1 or early Term 2, based on updated data.
The RAM and the SBAR
The components of the RAM are shown as a triangle in the diagram below. Typically, base school allocations are the largest component of the SBAR, followed by the equity loadings and then tapering to targeted student funding at the top of the triangle.
The 7 RAM loadings are listed on the left of the triangle, and a distinguishing feature of these is that they typically don’t change between the SBAR and the SBAR Adjustments, which are both part of the same funding cycle.
Listed on the right of the triangle are the allocations that are needs-based, providing funding to support additional student needs.
The RAM loadings listed on the left typically don’t change between the SBAR and the SBAR Adjustments. Some of the RAM loadings are also needs-based funding.
The RAM components include:
- Targeted funding - individual student funding for:
- refugee students
- newly arrived students
- integration funding support
- Equity loadings:
- Base school allocation:
- staffing
- operational funding, including:
- initiative funding, including professional learning
- location loading
- per capita
- site specific allocations.
SBAR allocations supports school leaders to achieve the strategic directions in their School Excellence Plan (SEP) and improve student outcomes.
SBAR allocations must be used in the year for which they are provided.
Further information
The Resource Allocation Model (RAM) funding table shows the total funding for the 7 RAM loadings for each NSW public school.
Department staff can find more Strategic Schools Resourcing information on our intranet.