The proposal to spend $70 million to create 1500 independent public schools nationally has met opposition from the NSW and Tasmanian governments, but ACT Education Minister Joy Burch said the territory had indicated an interest in the proposal without signing up to it.

Jason Borton, co-president of the ACT Principals' Association, questioned the need for the scheme, which critics say has the potential to create a two-tiered public school system. "We've already got a high level of autonomy over our staffing and our budgets in Canberra, so we're wondering what might be different," he said.

"From our perspective, we think we've got the balance right - we've got a very good collaboration between schools, and we're just keen to make sure that continues and we're not separated in any way, shape or form."

The ACT branch of the Australian Education Union has condemned the proposal by federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne, calling independent public schools a "flawed model" not justified by credible evidence.

"I wouldn't even say he's cherry-picking the evidence; he's basically got nothing," ACT branch secretary Glenn Fowler said. "The international evidence is clear and compelling - breaking public schools away from their systems does nothing to help students.

"The assessment of the WA Independent Public Schools trial found there was no evidence it had led to any increase in student achievement or enrolments.

''But what you have had in WA is the creation of an inequitable two-tier system where schools in disadvantaged areas, along with those in rural and remote areas, find it harder to recruit and retain teachers."

Mr Fowler estimated about $1 million would be spent on assisting selected ACT schools adapt to the independent model.

"The ACT stands to gain, over the next six years, additional investment of just under $200 million through the implementation of the Gonski deal. That's the real investment - this is a distraction which our government should not be entertaining."

He says the proposal is yet another way the government is trying to take debate away from its backflip over implementing the Gonski funding scheme.

"At best it's a distraction, at worst this could be an unpicking of the public school system, which provides high-quality education for all students."