Updating education law to support modern learning
Changes to support flexible learning and attendance, ensure students stay enrolled, and set clear distance education rules.
About the reform
On 1 January 2025, the ACT Government changed the Education Act 2004 as part of an ongoing series of amendments. The updates modernise attendance and participation, improve student tracking, and clarify distance education requirements.
Why it’s important
These changes improve education in the ACT to:
- better reflect current ways of learning in our schools
- help the Education Directorate track students so they stay in education and get the support they need
- make distance education requirements clearer so students and schools know what to expect.
Next steps
The law has been updated, and the changes have taken effect.
Key achievements
Modernising participation and attendance requirements
This change better reflects the current ways of learning in our schools.
- Attendance now reflects the time and learning commitments of a student’s course, making expectations clearer.
- The requirements for ‘approved education course’ providers are now more defined.
- Exemption Certificate criteria have been updated.
Keeping students in education
This change makes sure students stay enrolled and connected to education.
- Parents must tell the Education Directorate within 28 days if they unenrol their child from school, end their registration for home education or stop distance education.
- Parents must provide details of the new school or program where they enrol their child.
Clearer rules for distance education
This change sets clear rules for how schools can offer distance education.
- Distance education must involve mostly remote learning, not just a single online subject. This clarifies what counts as distance education.
- Government schools will continue using NSW’s Finigan School for distance education, providing students with a recognised remote learning option. The Director-General of the Education Directorate may decide if a government school can provide distance education.
- Non-government schools must be registered to offer distance education.
Simplified rules and definitions
This change updates rules to make them clearer and reduce unnecessary paperwork.
- We have clarified some legal terms, enrolment definitions and processes.
- The Education Directorate must have policies that support attendance.
- Parents now have a stronger right to enrol their child in their local school, following a recommendation from the Disability Royal Commission.