Federal election 2025: Independent Schools Association poll reveals parent fears over private school fee hikes

More than half of WA parents who send their children to independent schools say they would be less likely to vote for any party that reduces funding to private schools amid the cost-of-living crisis. Polling released by Independent Schools Australia on Wednesday shows that two-thirds of WA parents who responded to a national survey named cost of living as the biggest election issue, while 55 per cent said they were unlikely to vote for a party that reduced funding for students at independent schools. Around 72 per cent said they would have to make big changes to their household budgets if government policy changes pushed school fees higher. And 28 per cent said they would be forced to cut back on essentials such as groceries, medicine and transport to keep their child in an independent school if fees went up — higher than the national average of 26 per cent. Ahead of the upcoming Federal election, the ISA is calling for all political parties to commit to guaranteeing predictable funding to independent schools. It has previously raised concerns the Greens would demand reforms that would reduce funding to independent schools if it reached a power-sharing agreement with a minority Labor government. Speaking at the WA launch of the ISA campaign, chief executive Graham Catt said families who chose independent schools were not “privileged, wealthy or elite” and were also affected by the cost-of-living crisis. “They’re hardworking families, often working two jobs, and making real sacrifices because they believe in the power of education,” he said. Association of Independent Schools of WA executive director Chris Massey said the sector catered to a diverse range of students, from Aboriginal community schools in remote areas to faith-based schools in the suburbs. St Stephen’s School principal Donella Beare said the narrative around independent education could be misleading and harmful to families. “Like most independent schools, we’re concerned about federal funding instability because it directly impacts our families, some of whom have made major sacrifices to send their children to an independent school,” she said. The median annual fee for independent schools in WA is $5121, compared with $5537 nationally.