The 2017–18 School of the Air Funding Campaign
A historical account of Western Australia’s proposed School of the Air closures in 2017 and the decision’s reversal in early 2018.
This page describes a Western Australian funding decision announced in December 2017 and reversed in January 2018. It is an historical event, not a warning that Schools of the Air are currently scheduled to close.
What was proposed
As part of a group of education budget measures, the Western Australian Government announced that the state’s Schools of the Air would close and that their students would instead be served through another distance education model.
Remote families and regional communities argued that the proposal did not account for the role each school played in teaching, student contact and local community life.
What changed
Following public opposition, the government reversed the School of the Air closure decision in January 2018. Western Australian parliamentary records later discussed both the original proposal and the reversal. The Parliament of Western Australia debate record is a primary source for that period.
The original version of this article described the schools as having “recently” been saved and said closure was due in 2017. That wording became misleading as the page aged. The dates above are included so the event cannot be mistaken for current enrolment or funding news.
Why the campaign still matters
The episode shows why changes to distance education need consultation with the people who use it. A remote school provides more than lesson content. Families may depend on known teachers, local knowledge, technology support, gatherings and relationships built over years.
It also shows the risk of treating all remote delivery models as interchangeable. A sound review should consider educational quality, child wellbeing, workload for learning supervisors, connectivity, travel distances and the transition plan—not only the headline cost.
Check current information
School structures, budgets and enrolment rules can change. For a present-day decision, use the relevant education department and contact the school directly.
Our School of the Air locations guide points to current official provider information. The history of School of the Air covers the wider development of remote education in Australia.