A new report commissioned by Independent Schools Queensland estimates that graduates of Queensland's special assistance schools, which cater to students disengaged from mainstream education, will save state and federal governments about $416 million over their working lives through higher tax revenue and lower costs for welfare, healthcare and incarceration.
The special assistance sector grew sevenfold in the past decade, recording about 11,000 enrolments in 2025 and 2000 year 12 graduates. The McCrindle report, released on Tuesday, calculated that re-engaging a single at-risk student delivers a benefit of $226,100 to Queensland.
The special assistance sector operates about three dozen campuses across South-east Queensland, designed for students disengaged from mainstream schooling. Many of these schools are fee-free; in the 2023-24 financial year, seven recorded $0 in fees, charges and contributions, while the average across all campuses was about $460 per full-time equivalent student.
Nineteen-year-old Kiarra-Lee Rowe, who graduated from Y School Queensland Brisbane South in 2025 after being expelled from her previous school in year 10, said: “In the end, I decided to trust my gut and go with it, and from there I watched my life go up instead of down – my grades went from low Cs and barely passing, to Bs, possibly As here and there,” she said.
The report tallied tax income and costs linked to Jobseeker support, welfare, healthcare and incarceration, noting that 69 per cent of Australian prisoners had not completed education beyond year 10. It estimated dollar-values using average costs or tax benefits and the proportion of people in each category who had completed high school to year 10 level or through to year 12. For example, it calculated that about 19 per cent of people who left school after year 10 and were aged 20 to 29 suffered from mental health conditions, compared with 12 per cent of high school graduates.
"While a complex set of factors undoubtedly influence the likelihood and severity of different health conditions, it remains clear that schooling is positively associated with long-term health," the report said.
Australian Catholic University researcher Dr Matthew White, who specialises in accessibility and attendance issues, said the extent of education required for a career in Australia had steadily risen, meaning students moving into vocational pathways still benefited from graduating. He also cautioned that removing students from mainstream campuses risked increasing social isolation. "Irrespective of how inclusive you make a system, you're always going to have young people who aren't going to fit that and who are going to need special assistance," he said.
State programs exist for students struggling with disengagement, most running as short-term intensive courses or additional services within state schools.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The report quantifies the long-term economic benefit of re-engaging at-risk students, putting a dollar figure on a social issue often discussed in qualitative terms.
- With the special assistance sector growing sevenfold in a decade, the findings could influence future funding decisions for both state and federal governments.
- The data highlights links between school completion and reduced costs in welfare, healthcare and incarceration, adding to the policy debate on early intervention and alternative education models.
Background
Special assistance schools are alternative education providers designed for students who have become disengaged from mainstream schooling, often due to behavioural issues, mental health challenges or family circumstances. They are funded by state and Commonwealth contributions under the national schooling resource standard, but are exempt from conditions that reduce funding for mainstream private schools. The sector has expanded rapidly in Queensland over the past decade, with about 11,000 enrolments in 2025.
Key Perspectives
McCrindle report (commissioned by Independent Schools Queensland): Estimates graduates will save governments $416 million over their working lives, and that re-engaging one at-risk student delivers a benefit of $226,100 to Queensland.
Kiarra-Lee Rowe, Y School Queensland 2025 graduate: Described the school as turning her life around, saying she went from low grades to passing and saw her life "go up instead of down."
Dr Matthew White, Australian Catholic University: Noted that while removing students from mainstream campuses risks social isolation, some students will always need special assistance.
What to Watch
- Whether the Queensland or federal governments respond to the report with additional funding or policy changes for special assistance schools.
- Future enrolment growth in the sector, which has already increased sevenfold in ten years.
- The impact of rising homeschooling numbers in Queensland on demand for special assistance places.
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 9 supported.
Show each claim
- Reports differThe headline says special assistance school graduates could save governments $416 million.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “These schools might have saved the state $456 million: report. ... estimated these graduates would save the state and federal governments about $416 million over the course of their working lives.”
- SupportedThe report estimates that re-engaging one at-risk student delivers a $226,100 benefit to Queensland.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““Re-engaging one single at-risk student delivers a benefit of $226,100 to Queensland.””
- Reports differThe report estimates special assistance school graduates will save state and federal governments about $416 million over their working lives.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “These schools might have saved the state $456 million: report. ... estimated these graduates would save the state and federal governments about $416 million over the course of their working lives.”
- SupportedThe estimated benefits include tax income and costs linked to welfare, healthcare and incarceration.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The report tallied tax income, and costs linked to Jobseeker support, welfare and healthcare, and incarceration”
- SupportedThe sector grew sevenfold in the past decade, with about 11,000 enrolments and 2,000 year 12 graduates in 2025.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The special assistance sector grew sevenfold in the past decade , recording about 11,000 enrolments in 2025 and 2000 year 12 graduates.”
- SupportedRowe said, “In the end, I decided to trust my gut and go with it, and from there I watched my life go up instead of down – my grades went from low Cs and barely passing, to Bs, possibly As here and there.”Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““In the end, I decided to trust my gut and go with it, and from there I watched my life go up instead of down – my grades went from low Cs and barely passing, to Bs, possibly As here and there.””
- SupportedRowe graduated from Y School Queensland Brisbane South in 2025 after being expelled from her previous school in year 10.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “The 19-year-old graduated from Y School Queensland Brisbane South in 2025”
- SupportedThe report says 69 per cent of Australian prisoners had not completed education beyond year 10.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “incarceration – of which 69 per cent of Australian prisoners had not completed education beyond year 10.”
- SupportedThe report calculates that about 19 per cent of people aged 20 to 29 who left school after year 10 had mental health conditions, compared with 12 per cent of high school graduates.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “it calculated about 19 per cent of people who left school after year 10 and were currently aged between 20 and 29 suffered from mental health conditions, compared to 12 per cent of high school graduates.”
- SupportedThe report says schooling is positively associated with long-term health, while acknowledging other factors influence health conditions.Brisbane Times - Latest News: ““While a complex set of factors undoubtedly influence the likelihood and severity of different health conditions, it remains clear that schooling is positively associated with long-term health,” the report said.”
- SupportedDr Matthew White said removing students from mainstream campuses risked increasing social isolation.Brisbane Times - Latest News: “He said additional supports were needed in areas where generations had struggled in mainstream education systems, but removing students from mainstream campuses risked increasing social isolation.”