The SBAR resource hub, provides key advice on ensuring the purposeful use of spending the funding, and provides examples of effective practice for schools.

The schools funding page for English language proficiency provides more detail.

Effective use of funding and resources provides more information and examples demonstrating how to use your equity loading and targeted funding in school planning.

Equity loadings for EAL/D students

The equity loading may include both staff entitlement and flexible funding. Staff entitlement included in the loading is funded from the loading and is not in addition to the loading. Staff entitlement must be used for staffing.

Specific examples of using staffing and flexible funding may include:

• employing an additional EAL/D teacher to deliver targeted support for EAL/D students
• employing an EAL/D head teacher to strengthen and oversee whole school planning and effective EAL/D program organisation to meet the needs of EAL/D students, including students from refugee backgrounds
• employing a bilingual school learning support officer (SLSO) to support students to clarify learning in their home language
• implementing an extensive professional learning model involving workshops, collaborative planning and an action research project through which all teachers have improved their knowledge, understanding and application of EAL/D pedagogies
• employing temporary staff to allow permanent staff to gather, analyse and plan using EAL/D student data. Student adjustments and plans are discussed and developed during this time.

Targeted funding for newly arrived students

The New Arrivals Program provides on arrival, intensive English tuition for eligible, newly arrived English as an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) students at the beginning and emerging phases of English language proficiency.

New arrivals funding:

• provides additional teacher support
• targets specific students to develop their English language skills and participate successfully in learning
• is monitored in the SIP, either by linking to a specific strategic direction, or tracked in SPaRO’s annual additional funding activities
• must be evaluated and reported through the annual report.

Visit the New Arrivals Program webpage for information about eligibility criteria and how to apply for this funding. Please note, New Arrivals Program funding is provided as a budget adjustment. It is not provided through the School Budget Allocation Report (SBAR).

Targeted funding for refugee students

This targeted funding supports students from refugee backgrounds who have been enrolled in an Australian school for less than 3 years. Effective support for refugee students requires a coordinated whole school approach.

Examples of using funds includes:

• bilingual learning support
• counsellor support
• additional English language learning and literacy support.

Resources:

• the current SBAR essentials on the SBAR resource hub provides funding advice and examples of effective practice for schools
• schools funding page for refugee students
  
• supporting refugee students.

Targeted funding for refugee students:

• is monitored in the Strategic Improvement Plan, either by linking to a specific strategic direction, or tracked in SPaRO’s ‘annual additional funding activities’
• must be evaluated and reported through the annual report.

Reflective questions

• Has our equity loading for English language proficiency been used to implement evidence-based initiatives that lead to measurable improvements in outcomes for our EAL/D students?
• How have we targeted and planned to expend all resources provided through our annual budget to improve the English language proficiency of our EAL/D students this year?
• Are our refugee students and their needs are identified and supported appropriately? How do we know?
• Have all initiatives for targeted funding provided for refugee students, or for newly arrived students, including those not linked to a specific strategic direction, been accounted for in Implementation and progress monitoring ‘annual additional funding activities’ and evaluated for publication in our annual report?
• Are our newly arrived students and their needs identified and supported appropriately? How do we know?
• Does our Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) meet the needs of all our EAL/D students? How do we know?
• How will we report on the impact of our resources and strategies in the annual report?