Queensland families could save about $2000 a year per child on out-of-pocket state school-related expenses under changes proposed by the Greens.
South Brisbane MP Amy MacMahon will introduce the Helping Families with School Costs Amendment Bill 2023 when Queensland parliament returns on Tuesday.
The proposed bill seeks to scrap school service fees by the start of 2025 and introduce funding to provide families with classroom resources as well as laptops or tablets for students who need them.
Dr MacMahon said Queensland families were struggling with the rising cost of living and the bill would pressure the government to commit $6.8 billion across the next four years to ensure state schools' minimum needs were funded.
"Queensland Labor continues to underfund our state schools by nearly $2 billion every year and parents and teachers are picking up the government's slack," she said.
"Parents are having to choose between buying their child a new uniform or paying their electricity bill.
"Parents will skip meals just so their kids can get the stationery they need."
The Greens said state governments were expected to fund 80 per cent of minimum funding requirements for public school students.
However the Queensland government only funds about 69 per cent, causing an almost $2 billion shortfall in funding every year, the Greens said.
"Queensland has some of the most underfunded state schools in the country, second only to the Northern Territory," a Greens statement said.
