Grant chaser and revenue raiser: public school principals and the limitations of philanthropic funding

Author:

Rowe EmmaORCID,Di Gregorio ElisaORCID

Abstract

AbstractThis paper draws on survey and interview data with public school principals, in order to examine the impact of philanthropy in public schools in Australia. As a result of systemic government funding deficits, school principals are applying for competitive grants from a diverse range of sources. This includes non-government organisations such as charities and businesses, as well as competitive government grants to pay for important resourcing in the school. We focus on what we refer to as ‘philanthropic grant chasing’ in public schools as reported by school principals, paying attention to their involvement with the registered charity Australian Schools Plus, one of the first government-subsidised charities that enables businesses and corporations to donate to public schools for a tax deduction. Public school principals expressed dilemmas and ambivalences regarding philanthropy, regarding it as a ‘double-edged sword’. The vast majority rejected the idea of philanthropy as a long-term solution or remedy for systemic issues of under-funding. We found that philanthropic grants were conditional, and imposed excessive accountability and performative measures on principals, with interviewees describing the process as onerous, with ‘too many strings attached’. Competitive philanthropic grants were also found to intensify principal workload. This paper points to how competitive philanthropic grants, and the necessity to generate additional funding, has a detrimental impact on leaders’ workload, time, and long-term school resourcing. It is remodelling the expertise of the principal to grant chaser and revenue raiser. Whilst philanthropic organisations frequently claim otherwise, we argue that philanthropy exacerbates rather than redresses educational equity.

Funder

Australian Research Council

Deakin University

Publisher

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

Reference65 articles.

1. ACARA. (2019). Data Standards Manual: Student Background Characteristics. For use by Schools and School Systems, Test Administration Authorities, Assessment Contractors. edition.

2. ACARA. (2024). Technical and statistical information. ACARA (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority). Retrieved March 9 from https://www.myschool.edu.au/technical-and-statistical-information

3. ACNC. (2023). Teach For Australia Annual Information Statement 2022 [this is the most up-to-date/current Annual Information Statement available at time of writing]. Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. Retrieved 26 April from https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/ade42739-38af-e811-a961-000d3ad24182/documents/9ea7027d-f2fd-ed11-8f6d-00224893bd39

4. ACNC. (2024a). Australian School Plus Ltd Annual Information Statement 2023. Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. Retrieved March 8 from https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/db1d7bf3-39af-e811-a95e-000d3ad24c60/documents/7239607c-d4b4-ee11-a567-002248935564

5. ACNC. (2024b). Berry street Victoria incorporated annual information statement 2023. Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. Retrieved April 26 from https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/0d229851-39af-e811-a962-000d3ad24a0d/documents/016db8ce-5f83-ee11-8179-002248122521

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3