Whether it’s managing complex student behaviour, supporting diverse academic pathways or fostering a strong culture of wellbeing and professional development for staff, high school principals are faced with a myriad of challenges.
In recent years, increasingly disruptive classrooms, declining student achievement, growing disadvantage, and persistent teacher shortages have only added to the complexity of the job.
While the Better Fairer Schools Funding agreement is, for now, the best hope that Federal, State, and Territory Governments have of tackling these issues at a national scale, turning these policy shifts into real-world improvements for staff, students and communities has become the defining test of school leadership in 2025.
Giving principals a national voice
Through its national advocacy, research and collaboration, the Australian Secondary Principals’ Association (ASPA) has been helping to shape education policy and practice to reflect the realities and aspirations of secondary school communities across Australia.
Since Federal, State and Territory Governments began convening for the Education Ministers Meeting (EMM) in 2020, ASPA has been among those making sure that, each year, the goal of achieving a high-quality public education system accessible to all remains at the top of the EMM agenda.
According to ASPA President, Andy Mison, a strong, well-supported leadership lies at the cornerstone of this noble aspiration.
“Currently, secondary school leaders face a complex and evolving landscape of challenges that impact their ability to lead effectively and hinder their students’ learning experiences,” Mison told The Educator.
“These challenges require urgent attention and collaborative solutions to ensure a thriving future for public education in Australia.”
School funding and segregation remain key issues
Mison said a recurring theme in ASPA’s consultations is “the pervasive inequity within the Australian education system.”
“While the Better Fairer Schools Funding agreement holds the promise of full funding, the reality is that public schools will continue to face significant resource constraints for several years before this funding fully materialises,” he said.
“This delay exacerbates existing disparities between public and private schools, reducing the ability of public schools to provide equitable opportunities for all students.”
Mison also pointed to research from Professor Michele Bruniges’ through UTS and the Paul Ramsay Foundation which highlights the increasing segregation within Australia’s school system.
“This segregation, driven by funding inconsistencies and regulatory disparities between sectors, demands a national conversation and concerted action to create a more equitable and inclusive education landscape,” he said.
“There should be a common funding and regulatory framework for all schools that receive public money in Australia. There are excellent examples of this already, such as those in Ontario and Alberta in Canada.”
Mison said ASPA welcomes the five Enabling Initiatives within the Better Fairer Schools Funding agreement, particularly the commitment to “Better understand and provide advice to education ministers on socio-economic diversity.”
“We look forward to engaging with this work and advocating for policies that address the root causes of school segregation.”
‘Nationally consistent framework’ can support principals
The latest national survey into the occupational health, safety and wellbeing of Australia’s principals found that more than half intend to quit.
Mison says secondary school leaders are increasingly burdened by administrative demands that detract from their core purpose: leading teaching and learning.
“Excessive compliance requirements, risk management activities, and bureaucratic processes consume valuable time and resources that could be better directed towards supporting teachers and improving student outcomes,” he said.
“ASPA would like to see more efficient school business and administrative systems and processes, provision of adequate support staff, and better strategies to empower principals to focus on instructional leadership.”
Mison said the well-being of school leaders remains a critical concern, with principals facing significant pressure, long hours, and a lack of adequate support, leading to burnout and stress.
“ASPA would like to see a nationally consistent framework to support principal well-being, including access to professional counselling, peer support networks, and mental health initiatives specifically tailored to the needs of school leaders,” he said.
Mison said there is also an opportunity for the Australian Teacher Workforce Data survey (ATWD) to provide a more detailed picture of the conditions for teachers and school leaders.
“We look forward to what the newly added Wellbeing module reveals later in the year, and then to working with governments and other agencies on how best to respond.”
Concerns over ‘narrow definition’ of evidence
ASPA is calling a stronger partnership between the Australian Education Research Organisation (AERO) and the education profession, warning of one-size-fits-all solutions being imposed from afar.
“ASPA recognises the importance of evidence-informed practice in education. However, we are concerned about the narrow definition of ‘evidence’ often promoted by organisations like AERO,” Mison said.
“While quantitative studies have their place, a broader, more holistic approach is needed that values the professional expertise of teachers and school leaders.”
Mison said ASPA advocates for “a partnership approach” with AERO that recognises the complex, dynamic nature of teaching and learning and incorporates the lived experiences of educators in research and policy development.
“The top-down model feels disconnected from the dynamic and diverse contexts of our schools, where a ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution rarely fits anyone perfectly,” he said.
“A healthier move would be to build a shared understanding of the complex ingredients of great teaching and learning, rather than simply searching for recipes.”
National Teacher Workforce Plan must be ‘ministerial priority’
In May, research from the Queensland University of Technology found that unrealistic ‘classroom readiness’ expectations on new teachers are fuelling burnout and causing some to leave the profession, exacerbating existing workforce shortages in schools.
Mison said the national teacher shortage remains a significant challenge for secondary schools, particularly in remote, regional, and outer-metropolitan areas.
“Attracting and retaining high-quality teachers is essential for ensuring student success,” he said.
“Although there has been an increase in people commencing teaching degrees, which is positive, we hope that revisiting the National Teacher Workforce Plan this year will be a ministerial priority, and that more attention will be given to sustaining and retaining the teachers and school leaders we already have.”
Associate Professor Nerida Spina, co-author of the QUT study, flagged an “urgent need” to ensure new teachers are well prepared in their initial teacher education degrees, and then well supported once they started work into the profession.
“A teacher’s journey should be one of continuous development, shaped by meaningful mentorship and accessible opportunities for learning. Without these, new educators may struggle to navigate the complexities of real-world teaching,” she said.
“Standardised testing alone does not prepare teachers for the realities of the classroom. Instead, we must invest in hands-on training, professional collaboration, and real-world teaching experiences that truly equip them for success.”
AI and cyberbullying issues ‘shouldn’t be left to schools to manage’
In June, the eSafety Commissioner issued a safety advisory describing the rise of AI-powered deepfake abuse disrupting students, families, and school communities. The advisory outlined how such content emerges, impacts victims, and what schools, parents, and students can do to respond and report these issues.
In response to the increasingly complex threat the misuse of these technologies poses to young people, Federal and State education ministers endorsed the 2024 review of Australia’s Framework for Generative AI in Schools.
However, Mison said the dangerous applications of AI and cyberbullying is not an issue that should be left to schools to manage.
“We have made submissions to the federal government’s Rapid Anti-Bullying Review, and we hope to see sensible recommendations that will strengthen the support and resources available to parents and school leaders,” he said.
“This will also require greater accountability for the tech companies that deliver these platforms and apps.”
Urgent action needed to ensure student safety
In the wake of the abuse revelations surrounding the Victorian Childcare system, Mison said communities should be reminded of the recommendations of the 2017 Royal Commission into Institutional Sexual Abuse, which called for greater coordination between States and Territories, which have still not been implemented.
Despite repeated calls for action, complaints to the regulator, the Quality Assessment and Regulation Division (QARD), have increased by 45% since 2018, while enforcement actions have dropped by 67%.
“These issues are also relevant to the school education sector, and we would like to see a nationally unified teacher registration system, as recommended in AITSL’s 2018 National Review of Teacher Registration,” Mison said. “The well-being and engagement of students are paramount.”
Mison said students thrive in supportive environments where they feel safe, connected, and empowered.
“ASPA has been working for policies and practices that prioritise student well-being and agency, and that supports expanded approaches to measuring and celebrating the many ways students demonstrate their knowledge and skill beyond narrow metrics such as the ATAR,” he said.
Mison said ASPA remains committed to working collaboratively with governments, policymakers, and the wider community to address these critical challenges and “create a thriving public education system that serves all students.”
“We believe that by investing in school leadership, promoting equity, and valuing the expertise of educators, we can build a brighter future for Australian education.”