The equity loading supports:

• EAL/D students who are migrants, refugees or humanitarian entrants or the children of migrants, refugees or humanitarian entrants
• Aboriginal EAL/D students who speak a traditional Aboriginal language, a language other than English or are learning Standard Australian English as an additional dialect.

In 2025, the English language proficiency equity loading will support approximately 202,000 students in 1,700 NSW public schools.

How are EAL/D students identified?

The EAL/D learning progression is used to assess students’ phases of English language proficiency, described as one of 4 phases:

• beginning
• emerging
• developing
• consolidating.

How is the equity loading calculated?

Student data is collected each year through data reported in the EAL/D annual survey in June. This is used to calculate a school’s equity loading allocation and is moderated for:

• international students
• scholastic year
• refugee students
• length of time in an Australian school.

Schools receive their allocation as a staffing allocation and/or a flexible funding component.

Schools must use the equity loading in the year for which it is provided. Schools have a School Excellence Plan (SEP) which includes how the needs of EAL/D students will be addressed. Accountability occurs through the school’s annual report.