The Queensland Government supports students’ education by providing funding for instruction, facilities and administration. Funding for schools does not extend to individual student resources such as textbooks, equipment for personal use and items used by the student in the classroom.
To provide parents and carers with a cost-effective alternative to purchasing textbooks and resources at a higher cost elsewhere, and to ensure that students have the resources required, the school may operate a Student Resource Scheme (SRS). The SRS provides savings through bulk purchasing and hiring arrangements.
Parents and Citizens (P&C) Association endorsement
Each school’s SRS is endorsed annually by the P&C (or parent representative/s where the school has no current P&C). Parents and carers must be provided with annual information regarding the SRS fees and inclusions to make informed decisions on whether or not to participate in the SRS. Parents and carers will be notified before each P&C meeting where the SRS will be discussed.
Types of resources included
Schools design an SRS based on the resources needed for each student to engage in the curriculum. Items included in the SRS are published on the school’s website.
Refer to the
school fees matrix (PDF, 290KB) for a list of items that can and cannot be included in an SRS.
Generally, there are 3 types of resources that could be included:
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Student-owned consumable resources—consumable items used in class by the students (e.g. industry technology, cooking ingredients, art and craft materials, stationery, exercise books, student diary).
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Student-owned non-consumable resources—these items are retained by the student and may be used over multiple years (e.g. scientific calculator, headphones, portable data storage device).
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Resources hired to students—these items are hired to the student for their personal use for a specific period (e.g. textbooks, musical instruments, laptops).
Participation
Participation in the SRS is optional and no obligation is placed on a parent or carer to participate. Parents and carers will need to provide these resources themselves if they choose not to participate in the SRS.
For students in years 7 to 12, whose parents and carers do not participate in the SRS, the
Textbook and Resource Allowance (TRA) will be paid by the school to you directly upon request.
Participation in the SRS normally occurs when a
participation agreement form (PDF, 293KB) is completed. Familiarise yourself with the SRS inclusions as published by the school, and the terms and conditions on the form. Parents and carers can opt in or opt out of the SRS at a later time. Please talk to your school’s business manager for details.
Participation fee
The SRS fee payable for the year will be published on the school’s website. This also includes the TRA component which has been deducted to reduce the SRS fee payable. If the cost of the SRS is equal to the TRA rate, no SRS fee is payable.
Financial hardship
Parents experiencing financial hardship who are currently participating, or wish to participate, in the SRS should contact the school to discuss available options. Several payment options are available such as paying in instalments and part or full fee waivers depending on the circumstances. All discussions will be held in the strictest confidence.
Leaving during the school year
If a student leaves school during the year, your school will work out:
- the SRS fees that have been paid in advance and can be returned to you, less (where appropriate) any costs associated with damaged or non-returned SRS resources
- any TRA you may be eligible for.
The school will then either pay you a refund or send you an invoice for any amount due.
Payment method
SRS payments can be made by QParent/BPOINT, BPAY, EFTPOS (credit/debit card), cheque, cash or Centrepay. Your school will provide details on how to pay.
Questions about your school's SRS
If you have any questions about your school’s SRS, contact your school’s business manager directly in the first instance. If you cannot resolve the issue with your school, contact your
regional office for assistance.
Related links
Student Resource Scheme (SRS) procedure
Parents and carers page