Post Budget Update

Below is a more detailed explanation of how the budget will be rolled out across the sector in the next four years.

APPA is seeking clarification on the budget details and will update you as new information comes to light. We've also asked Minister Stanford to address some of these questions at the APPA Conference.

The Executive will meet with various stakeholders in the coming weeks to clarify details. Meanwhile, if you have further questions you would like addressed, please submit them using this form.

Here is a link to a short Podcast created in NotebookLM discussing the full treasury breakdown of Vote Education. Here is a link to the complete document.

Kāhui Ako have been disestablished, effective 28 January 2026. 

• When will Kāhui Ako end?
• 28 January, 2026

• What happens to Kāhui Ako Leaders?
• Boards will be required to write to Leader(s) on or before 27 October, 2025, signalling that their role will cease on 28 January, 2026.
• The leadership stipend they receive for leading the Kāhui Ako will cease on 28 January, 2026.

• What happens to Across School Leaders?
• Employing Boards will need to write to ASL(s) on or before 27 October 2025, signalling that their role will cease on 28 January 2026
• The ASL will have their Kāhui Ako salary allowances protected for up to 12 months due to provisions in the teacher collective agreements.  If however, their current ASL contract ends before the 12 month period is up, then their salary allowance will cease at the date specified in their contract. 

• What happens to In-school Leaders/WSL?
• Employing Boards will need to write to ISL(s) on or before 27 October, 2025 signalling that their role will cease on 28 January, 2026
• For all fixed term ISLs/WSLs, their Kāhui Ako salary allowance will end on 28 January 2026

For those of you who employ Across School Leaders, you and your Board will need to consult with your employee(s) about the changes and how they affect their role. The impact of change will be different in every school, depending on the arrangements that the board has put in place for their ASL(s).

Here is a link from the NZEI, that will outline the impact of the decision for Primary & Intermediate schools in your Kahui Ako.  Refer to Section 9.1

Here is a link from the PPTA, that will outline the impact of the decision for secondary schools in your Kahui Ako 

Learning Support Coordinators - $192.5 million

• • By 2028 every school in the country will have a Learning Support Coordinator. 216 will be allocated in 2026, 222 in 2027 and 211 in 2028.
  • Allocations will be by this formula. 500 students equals 1.0 FTTE.

ORs Funding - $122.5 million

• • The eligibility criteria to receive ORs funding will be reviewed and the cap removed, meaning from 2026, all students who meet the criteria will receive the funding.
  • Additional LS Specialists will be employed and not limited to MOE employees. 
  • Additional Learning Assistant hours will be allocated. 612,120 hours in 2026, 165,440 in 2027, 134,240 in 2028 and 108,280 in 2029

Early Intervention - $266 million

• • Historically, Early Intervention started in ECE and finished when a student turned 5. From 2026, Early Intervention will end at the end of Year 1, meaning the transition to school will be smoother.
  • Additional LS Specialists will be employed and not limited to MOE employees 
  • Additional Learning Assistant hours will be allocated. 225,000 hours in 2026, 85,000 in 2027, 269,800 in 2028 and 33,990 in 2029

Behaviour & Communication Services - $42.9 million

• • Additional LS Specialists will be employed and not limited to MOE employees 
  • Additional Learning Assistant hours will be allocated. 59,090 hours in 2026, 31,362 in 2027, 32,647 in 2028 and 320,200 in 2029

Specialist School Network - $90 million

• • 25 new Learning Support Classrooms (satellites) will be added to the network
  • 365 Property Modifications will be implemented to make schools more accessible.

Intense wrap-around (IWS) 

• • $7.3m, which resources 45 more spaces in Te kahu toi/IWS

Quality Education - $43.4m

• • $30m over four years - Aspiring Principals Programme and Leadership Advisory Service 
  • $13.4m 530 places for School Onsite Training Programme

Māori Education - $36m

• • Te reo Māori resources and key curriculum supports for te reo matatini and STEM

$811m for new schools, new classrooms, and property maintenance, including ring-fenced property funding for the Kaupapa Mãori and Mãori of which; 

• $460m over four years for new schools and classrooms  
• $100m over four years for maintaining and upgrading school buildings

Literacy 

• $29.7m extending Tier 2 targeted intervention to Year 6 

Maths and Pāngaru 

• $56.1m introduction of Tier 2 targeted intervention teachers for Years 0 to 6
• $4.1m introduction of a maths check for Year 2 to track progress and identify students who need support 
• $39.9m Nationwide rollout of tutoring for Y7 and 8 students who need acceleration 

Science and Pūtaiao 

• $39.9m Kits for Years 0 to 8 to support the delivery of the new science curriculum 

$30m over 4 years to resource;

Leadership Advisors 

• Double the Leadership advisory roles from 17 to 34 

Aspiring Principals 

• 200 candidates per year