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Ministry of Education New Zealand

What isolation funding covers

Schools and kura in isolated areas have higher operating costs. Isolation funding helps cover the cost of goods and services that schools need to operate and deliver the curriculum.

Eligible schools

We give schools an isolation index number to calculate this funding. We calculate the isolation index using travel time and distance from the nearest towns to your school.

Mainland schools (schools in the North Island and South Island) with an isolation index of 1.27 or higher receive isolation funding.

Find your school's isolation index number

You can look up the isolation index number for your school on Education Counts.

Use the Schools Directory Builder on Education Counts to find the isolation index for your school.

  1. Click Load Data.
  2. Use the School filters to locate your school.
  3. Scroll across the data to see the isolation index field.

New Zealand Schools – Education Counts

Contact our resourcing team if you wish to confirm your school’s isolation index.

Email: [email protected]

Isolation index for non-mainland schools

We give schools that are not on the mainland an estimated index rating. We base the rating on the costs, time, and distances involved in the school accessing goods and services they need to operate their schools and deliver the curriculum.

We compare this information to mainland schools that are as isolated as your school, where they exist.

How we work out the targeted funding for isolation rate

We work out the amount of funding your school receives by:

  1. squaring your isolation index number
  2. multiplying the result by the variable rate
  3. adding the base rate.
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