Canberra's Catholic education body will hold a public meeting on Monday night to respond to the funding cuts proposed by Malcolm Turnbull's coalition government.
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Under the funding proposal, a patchwork of 27 agreements made throughout Australia will be rolled into a single, needs-based model, meaning all non-government schools will be brought into line with the school resourcing standard within 10 years rather than the projected 150 years.
As a result, all Canberra Catholic schools will face a 10-year funding freeze, expected to leave them with less funding in 2027 than received in 2017. There are nine ACT private schools currently funded above the school resourcing standard that may also face cuts.
Catholic Education Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn director Ross Fox said they had invited the capital's schools and parents to attend, as well as Mr Turnbull, Education Minister Simon Birmingham, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and local politicians.
"I'm hopeful the minister will attend to describe and justify the funding cuts that he's imposing on Catholic schools in the ACT," he said.
"The public meeting is to bring supporters of school choice and catholic education together to discuss how we can respond to these cuts, which are very serious for us."
Mr Fox said the minister's office had been calling Catholic schools in the ACT as late as Friday to inform them their funding would be reduced and there would be no extra funding for students with disabilities.
He said he was surprised by the potential cuts to disadvantaged children and it was at odds with the policy's needs-based rhetoric.
"No additional funding for students with disability, kids in wheelchairs, kids with autism, kids with down-syndrome for the next ten years, which is a really concerning situation," Mr Fox said.
"According to this model, they look like the wealthiest private schools you can imagine in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, and the reality is just so far from that in terms of Canberra and its community."
Senator Birmingham issued a statement on Wednesday: "What Labor implemented and what David Gonski and his panel of experts recommended were two very different things and I welcome the many voices that recognise the current schools funding arrangements distort the way funding is allocated, not by need but by 27 special deals.
"Our plan will see all schools reach a consistent share of funding within a decade, unlike the 150 years of inequity that current arrangements would entail."
The Catholic Education Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn is holding the meeting at St Clare's College, Griffith, Monday at 6pm.
With Emily Baker
