Secondary principals have cautiously welcomed the Federal Government’s first “report card” on its national school reforms, which was released by Education Minister Jason Clare on Wednesday.
The progress report card reveals higher rates of school graduation, attendance, teacher retention and student outcomes in NAPLAN since all states and territories signed up to the government’s landmark Better and Fairer Schools Agreement (BFSA) in 2025.
In a statement today, the Australian Secondary Principals’ Association said these early gains are encouraging, but cautioned that secondary schools still face unique pressures around senior provision, broad curriculum demands and ongoing specialist teacher shortages.
“ASPA calls on the Commonwealth and state governments to ensure that future BFSA reporting includes disaggregated data on funding distribution, secondary school attendance, completion, and workforce indicators,” ASPA President, Andy Mison, said.
“Without this level of transparency, it is difficult for school leaders and the community to assess whether the Agreement’s full-funding promise is reaching the students and schools that need it most.”
New funding for principals welcomed
ASPA’s 2026 National Summit, which concluded in Canberra on 25 March, included a briefing from Minister Clare on the progress of the BFSA, including the potential of its enabling initiatives to support achievement of the Alice Springs (Mparntwe) Declaration’s goals for equity and excellence.
At the Summit, Minister Clare also announced that the Commonwealth will contribute funding to a national pilot for reflective supervision for principals, coordinated by Headspace.
Mison said ASPA “warmly welcomes” this announcement.
“Reflective supervision is an evidence-informed strategy that ASPA and other national principals’ peak bodies have long advocated as essential to supporting the health and wellbeing of school leaders,” he said.
“The pressures facing principals continue to intensify, and targeted, structured support of this kind is both timely and necessary.”
Mison said a coordinated effort across states, territories and the Commonwealth is crucial to ensure public funding is transparently tracked and aligned with the Declaration’s equity and excellence goals.
“The Association looks forward to engaging constructively with Minister Clare, and state and territory education ministers, on these matters.”