15Grants for expenditure in connection with government disadvantaged schools

15 Grants for expenditure in connection with government disadvantaged schools

(1) Subject to subsection (2), the Minister may, by determination in writing, declare a government school in a State to be a disadvantaged school for the purposes of this Act. (2) The Minister shall not declare a government school in a State to be a disadvantaged school for the purposes of this Act if the Minister is of the opinion that the total number of students at schools in the State that are, or may become, government disadvantaged schools, is, or will be, at any time during a program year, greater than the approved maximum number of students in relation to government disadvantaged schools in that State in respect of that year. (3) The Minister shall determine in writing, in relation to each State, the number of students that is, for the purposes of this Act, the approved maximum number of students in relation to government disadvantaged schools in the State for each program year, and shall notify the State Minister of that number. (4) Subject to subsection (5), the Minister may, by determination in writing, authorise the payment to a State under this section, by way of financial assistance to the State for recurrent expenditure or for expenditure on minor capital projects in respect of a program year in connection with government disadvantaged schools in the State, of an amount not exceeding the amount set out opposite to the name of the State in column 2 of the part of Schedule 4 that relates to that year. (5) The Minister shall not authorise a payment to a State under this section in respect of a program year unless the State has entered into an agreement of a kind specified by the Minister with the Commonwealth in respect of that year or in respect of a number of years including that year, being an agreement that sets out conditions on which financial assistance is granted to the State under this section. (6) Financial assistance is granted to a State under this section on the conditions set out in the agreement and on the additional conditions applicable under section 18.