Kids with special needs will get top priority in our nation-leading school building boom with 36 special schools receiving funding for upgrades in the Victorian Budget 2022/23 – meaning every government special school will have had a major upgrade since the election of the Andrews Labor Government in 2014.

Thousands more Victorian kids will learn in brand new schools and facilities as the Labor Government continues its work to build 100 new schools in the biggest school-building program since the Education Act was passed in 1872.

This Budget will invest an extra $1.8 billion to build new schools and improve existing ones – giving every Victorian child the facilities they deserve to get a great education.

This will create almost 3,900 additional jobs in construction and related industries – with more than 3,100 jobs in metropolitan Melbourne and 750 in regional Victoria.

A $581.5 million investment will build 13 new schools – set to open in 2024 – as well as additional stages at four existing new school projects. With another new school already funded in the Victorian Budget 2021/22, a total of 14 new Victorian schools will open in 2024.

Our outer suburbs are growing fast. The Labor Government will invest $236.7 million to acquire land in Cardinia, Casey, Greater Geelong, Hume, Melton, Whittlesea and Wyndham for future new schools, as well as $92.2 million for new relocatable buildings to provide extra places in 2023 for schools with fast-growing enrolments.

The Budget invests $658.2 million in upgrades and improvements at existing schools – making sure we’ve got modern facilities across the state to match the quality of Victorian teaching and learning.

Students with disability and special needs are entitled to exactly the same opportunities as every other student in Victoria. A $326 million investment will deliver upgrades for 36 special schools – meaning these kids and their school communities will have the first-class facilities they deserve.

All students, and the staff who support them, deserve access to safe, modern and well-maintained schools – and an investment of $247.3 million will deliver essential maintenance and compliance for schools, including $10 million for the Accessible Buildings Program – helping remove barriers to accessing school buildings.

Major upgrades will be delivered at 29 mainstream schools – with funding provided to expand capacity to meet enrolment growth at an additional two established schools – thanks to a $290.4 million investment. This will be supported by $41.8 million for the Minor Capital Works Fund to deliver an extra 96 smaller-scale priority projects.

In the past eight years, the Labor Government has invested more than $12.8 billion in building new schools and more than 1,850 school upgrades – creating around 17,400 local jobs in construction and associated industries.