Disparities Across Borders: Analysing Educational Inequities in the Context of Federal and State Governance

Abstract

Educational equity remains a persistent challenge in Australia, where access to quality education is significantly shaped by structural governance, geographic location, and socio-economic circumstances. While much attention has been paid to rural-urban divides or funding disparities between sectors, less attention has been given to the inequities that emerge at jurisdictional borders. This paper explores the educational landscape of Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and neighbouring Queanbeyan in New South Wales (NSW), highlighting how governance fragmentation and systemic funding disparities can produce unequal outcomes for students living just kilometres apart. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach that includes policy analysis, funding data, and national assessment results, the study reveals that schools in Queanbeyan experience more complex bureaucratic structures, lower per-student funding, and greater socio-economic challenges than their counterparts in the ACT. The result is a consistent underperformance in NAPLAN, compounded by limited infrastructure and declining enrolments in NSW border schools. This paper also incorporates first-hand insights from educators, policy experts, and parents in both jurisdictions, illustrating how governance decisions play out in daily educational practice. We argue that federal-state misalignment in education governance undermines Australia's national commitment to equity. The paper concludes with recommendations for policy harmonisation, increased funding equity, and targeted support for cross-border communities.

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Author Information
Anna Wilkey, Threads of Learning, Australia
Siobhan King, Threads of Learning, Australia

• Category: Educational Policy, Leadership, Management & Administration

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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