Preschool funding agreement

Preschool funding agreement

The Preschool Reform Agreement is a national funding and reform agreement between the Australian Government and all state and territory governments. The reform helps strengthen the delivery of preschool and better prepare children for the first year of full-time school.

It was introduced in 2022 as a 4‑year agreement. In December 2025, all jurisdictions agreed to extend the agreement until the end of 2027.

The Preschool Reform Agreement provides Commonwealth funding and commits all governments to a collaborative reform agenda.

The agreement:

  • supports children to attend 15 hours of Kindergarten each week, the year before starting full-time school
  • ensures all children benefit from Commonwealth funding regardless of the setting they attend
  • aims to improve Kindergarten enrolment and attendance
  • maximises the benefit of Kindergarten by improving outcomes for children.

For more information, refer to the Minister’s announcement.

As part of the Preschool Reform Agreement, the Australian Government is introducing a Preschool Outcomes Measure (POM) tool.

The aim of the POM is to maximise the benefits of the preschool year by supporting everyday teacher and educator practice.

The Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER), Ninti One and Goodstart Early Learning were contracted to lead:

  • scoping and development in phases 1 and 2
  • validation and small-scale trials in phase 3
  • the 2025 National Applied Trial in phase 4.

The trial focused on 2 age-appropriate, nationally agreed learning progression domains. The domains were selected as they are the building blocks for lifelong learning.

The domains are:

  • executive function: a child’s ability to plan, focus and understand themselves as learners
  • oral language and literacy: a child’s ability to communicate and create through language.

The  POM will help teachers and educators:

  • measure a child’s learning and development in the year before full-time school
  • make evidence-based decisions about a child’s learning.

Use of the tool will be optional.

The development of the POM tool will continue in 2026.

We are working with the Australian Government to ensure the tool will suit Western Australian schools.

For more information about the POM, refer to the Australian Government website. 

Since 2023, the Commonwealth Preschool Reform Agreement funding has been provided to all sectors delivering preschool (Kindergarten) programs. In Western Australia, this included the early childhood education and care (ECEC) sector for the first time. We distribute the funding to government and non-government schools. 

In 2024, Western Australia received $57.8 million in funding for:

  • public schools
  • community kindergartens
  • Catholic and independent schools.

In 2025, the state received $50.3 million, of which $2.88 million was allocated to the ECEC sector. These funds support programs that:

  • improve preschool quality
  • promote equity and participation
  • strengthen children’s readiness for school.

Through the 2025 Supporting Children in ECEC Grant Program, grants were awarded to 52 organisations. These grants fund the development of programs and initiatives aimed at improving:

  • student enrolment
  • attendance
  • readiness for Kindergarten.

Child Australia distributes the funding to the ECEC sector through a grants program. Visit the Child Australia website for information about the ECEC WA Grant Program.

Refer to the Preschool Reform Agreement website for more information about the Preschool Reform Agreement.

Last reviewed 09 February 2026