South Australia Education
South Australia's education system includes 500+ public schools with a focus on early childhood development and STEM. Royal Commission into Early Childhood Education and Care underway.
ROGS 2026
System Outcomes — South Australia
| Indicator | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance rate — Yr 1-10 (%) | 88.1 | 2025 |
| Disability adjustment — extensive (%) | 2.6 | 2024 |
| Disability adjustment — substantial (%) | 4.2 | 2024 |
| Disability adjustment — supplementary (%) | 14.5 | 2024 |
| Participation rate — 15 year olds (%) | 100.1 | latest |
| Participation rate — 16 year olds (%) | 99.2 | latest |
| Participation rate — 17 year olds (%) | 85.8 | latest |
| Primary school enrolments | 98,569 | 2024 |
| Student-teacher ratio (primary) | 13.6 | 2024 |
| Apparent retention — Year 10 to Year 12 (%) | 85.3 | 2024 |
| Secondary school enrolments | 75,914 | 2024 |
| Total school enrolments | 174,484 | 2024 |
| Total government education expenditure ($'000) | 3,861,752 | 2018-19 |
| VET completion — 15-19 year olds (%) | 21.2 | 2024 |
ACARA MySchool
School Landscape — South Australia
| Sector | Schools | Enrolments | Avg ICSEA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government | 508 | 176,204 | 984 |
| Independent | 106 | 56,286 | 1059 |
| Catholic | 101 | 54,835 | 1040 |
Entity Type Breakdown
| Type | Count |
|---|---|
| charity | 575 |
| foundation | 167 |
| indigenous_corp | 29 |
| social_enterprise | 4 |
| company | 3 |
| government_body | 3 |
Most Connected Providers
By cross-system relationships
Policy Timeline
Key legislation, inquiries, and reforms
New National School Reform Agreement. All public schools to reach 100% SRS by 2034. Bilateral deals with states.
Fee-free TAFE extended. University Accord implementation begins. $500M for school infrastructure.
Professor Mary O'Kane review. 47 recommendations including needs-based university funding, fee reform, 80% attainment target.
Cross-jurisdictional plan to address teacher shortages. Initial teacher education reform, mid-career pathways, workload reduction.
Joint declaration by all education ministers. Two goals: promoting excellence and equity, becoming confident and creative learners.
Review to Achieve Educational Excellence in Australian Schools. Focus on growth, tailored learning, evidence-based practice.
Quality Schools Package. $23.5B additional over 10 years. Schooling Resource Standard (SRS) as basis for needs-based funding.
Landmark review by David Gonski. Recommended needs-based funding model. $5B additional annual investment needed.
Oversight & Accountability
Recommendations from inquiries, audits, and commissions
| Body | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
ANAO National School Reform Agreement Audit | ANAO-EDU-1Improve bilateral agreement transparency — clarify how SRS targets will be measured and reported | partially implemented |
Gonski Review Panel Through Growth to Achievement | GONSKI-1Create an online, formative assessment tool that allows teachers to identify individual student needs and tailor teaching | partially implemented |
Gonski Review Panel Through Growth to Achievement | GONSKI-2Revise the Australian Curriculum to focus on development of deep knowledge, skills and understanding | implemented |
Productivity Commission ROGS 2026 — Schools | ROGS-EDU-1Address widening gap in Year 9 NAPLAN results between metropolitan and remote students | pending |
Universities Accord Final Report | UA-1Set a target of 80% of the working-age population to hold a post-school qualification by 2050 | accepted |
Universities Accord Final Report | UA-2Implement needs-based university funding to replace demand-driven system | pending |