The New Zealand Principals’ Federation (NZPF) has criticised the lack of additional funding for learning support in this year’s education budget.
In a recent statement, the NZPF criticised what it outlined as “no new investment in learning support sufficient to change practice this year, no acceleration of the 2025 rollout, and no recognition of the widening gap between what was promised and what is being delivered.
“One year on from what was described as a ‘seismic shift’, that shift has not materialised.”
The statement raises concerns about the potential knock-on effects for students who require additional staff, assessment or support, calling the lack of additional funds “an approach that rations support through delay”.
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It highlighted new evidence, published in Still Beyond Capacity: Learning Support in Aotearoa after the 2025 Budget, which asks principals, learning support coordinators, teachers, and specialists the question: one year on, has anything changed?
The answer, they said, is consistent: no.
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One Auckland school was highlighted as a case study; it receives $68,000 in Learning Support funding but spends $238,000. Another spends $430,000 on teacher aides and still cannot meet demand. A Wellington principal reported topping up ORS-funded students by more than $60,000, over 10 percent of their operational grant.
“These are not outliers. This is now the baseline.”
Core roles, they argue, are increasingly sustained through fundraising, grants, and internal trade-offs. Principals and senior leaders are stepping into frontline positions – supervising, de-escalating, and managing risk.
The report documents a choking incident involving a non-speaking autistic student; the student survived because a trained key worker was present.
“This is not simply pressure on a system,” the statement said. “It is a deliberate transfer of responsibility to schools.”
The NZPF highlighted the funding model as an issue.
“Learning Support in Aotearoa operates as a contribution model, not a needs-based one. Verified needs are only partially funded, with schools expected to absorb the gap.
“Funding flows through layered processes that delay access while need escalates in real time.
“The result is predictable: inequity between schools, inconsistent access for students, and growing pressure on staff.”
The statement set out the actions the NZPF argues need to be prioritised:
Accelerate delivery timelines to better reflect current unmet need and workforce capacity.
Fix the teacher aide funding model as an urgent priority.
Fund the missing middle through an approach that reduces reliance on rigid thresholds.
Remove disincentives in ORS eligibility so early intervention is enabled, not penalised.
Invest in kura and bilingual settings, including tools, workforce, and funding aligned with kaupapa Māori.
Measure success by what changes in schools: reduced waitlists, stable staffing, and timely help for students.
