Latest information on Policies and Priorities in education in Australia released
01 July 2026 New information on Policies and Priorities in education has been released by ACARA as part of the National Report on Schooling in Australia 2025.
The Policies and Priorities section details the activities undertaken by the Australian, state and territory governments and the Catholic and independent school sectors to improve education outcomes in Australia.
This release highlights the national reforms underpinned by the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement which came into effect, including:
- The National Teacher Workforce Action Plan progressed significantly through teacher scholarships, employment-based teaching pathways, workload reduction pilots and national professional learning opportunities, including free educator micro-credentials.
- Major early childhood education reforms advanced, including establishment of the $1 billion Building Early Education Fund, implementation of workforce initiatives and reforms to improve access, affordability and quality.
- National literacy and numeracy reforms accelerated, including Year 1 Phonics Checks, early years numeracy initiatives and expanded evidence-based teaching resources to support improved student outcomes.
These national reforms were complemented by activities across states, territories and the non-government sectors, including:
- Literacy and numeracy reforms, including phonics screening, numeracy checks and explicit teaching approaches.
- Expanded access to early childhood education, supported by workforce measures and targeted programs for children and families.
- Teacher workforce reforms focused on attraction, retention, leadership development and professional learning.
- Equity and inclusion measures supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners, students with disability, rural and remote students, and other priority cohorts.
ACARA progressively releases chapters of the annual National Report on Schooling in Australia as the data becomes available. This allows for more timely commentary on progress against nationally agreed policy initiatives by Australia’s school education sector.