Counting the cost: parental experiences of education expenses: results from the 2007 Education Costs Survey

This report examines the survey responses of 58 low-income Victorian families about the cost of their 129 primary and secondary school-aged children’s participation in formal education during 2007.

Although the survey was small in scale, it revealed that these parents faced considerable difficulties in paying education expenses, resulting in some children missing out on vital activities.

To reduce the rate of students disengaging or dropping out, the writers recommend policy changes to eliminate financial hardship as a critical barrier for children in disadvantaged families.