ACDE Analysis of 2016 Census statistics of Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander teachers and students
ACDE Analysis of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Teaching and Student Statistics
12 March 2018
The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in each state or territory
| NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | TAS | NT | ACT | AUS | |
| 2008 | 44605 | 8841 | 44659 | 8634 | 22843 | 5017 | 15893 | 1176 | 151668 |
| 2013 | 57728 | 12119 | 53768 | 10634 | 24569 | 5920 | 16328 | 1570 | 182636 |
| 2015 | 63855 | 13849 | 58911 | 11668 | 25785 | 6591 | 16335 | 1805 | 198799 |
| 2016 | 66974 | 14524 | 61404 | 12061 | 25931 | 6798 | 16418 | 1955 | 206065 |
| 2017 | 70042 | 15211 | 64026 | 12429 | 26679 | 6965 | 16613 | 2019 | 213984 |
Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018, “4221.0 – Schools, Australia, 2017”, Table 80a Summary Tables 2008-2016, Table 13, ABS, Canberra
In 2017, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in each state or territory: NSW had 70,042 students, VIC had 15,211 students, QLD had 64,026 students, SA had 12,429 students, WA had 26,679 students, TAS had 6,965 students, the NT had 16,613 students, and the ACT had 2,019 students.
2017 percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in each state/territory
| NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | TAS | NT | ACT | AUS |
| 32.73% | 7.11% | 29.92% | 5.81% | 12.47% | 3.25% | 7.76% | 0.94% | 100% |
| Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018, “4221.0 – Schools, Australia, 2017”, Table 80a Summary Tables 2008-2016, Table 13, ABS, Canberra |
In 2017, 32.73% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students study in NSW, 7.11% in VIC, 29.92% in QLD, 5.81% in SA, 12.47% in WA, 3.25% in TAS, 7.76% in the NT and 0.94% in the ACT.
2017 the percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in each state compared to non-ATSI students
| NSW | VIC | QLD | SA | WA | TAS | NT | ACT | AUS |
| 5.80% | 1.60% | 7.94% | 4.69% | 6.47% | 8.66% | 40.12% | 2.92% | 5.58% |
| Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018, “4221.0 – Schools, Australia, 2017”, Table 80a Summary Tables 2008-2016, Table 13, ABS, Canberra |
In 2017, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples comprised: 5.80% of students in NSW, 1.60% of students in VIC, 7.94% of students in QLD, 4.69% of students in SA, 6.47% of students in WA, 8.66% of students in TAS, 40.12% of students in the NT, and 2.92% of students in the ACT.
The number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in each year level (2017)
| GOVT | NON-GOVT | TOTAL | GOVT | NON-GOVT | TOTAL | ||||
| PRIMARY SCHOOL | SECONDARY SCHOOL | ||||||||
| PRE-YEAR 1 | 16498 | 2400 | 18898 | YEAR 7 | 13213 | 3379 | 16592 | ||
| YEAR 1 | 16132 | 2365 | 18497 | YEAR 8 | 12308 | 3273 | 15581 | ||
| YEAR 2 | 16140 | 2396 | 18536 | YEAR 9 | 12130 | 3172 | 15302 | ||
| YEAR 3 | 16075 | 2412 | 18487 | YEAR 10 | 10354 | 2976 | 13330 | ||
| YEAR 4 | 15932 | 2402 | 18334 | YEAR 11 | 9068 | 2773 | 11841 | ||
| YEAR 5 | 15452 | 2315 | 17767 | YEAR 12 | 6659 | 2272 | 8931 | ||
| YEAR 6 | 14861 | 2267 | 17128 | UNGRADED | 2666 | 31 | 2697 | ||
| UNGRADED | 2024 | 39 | 2063 | TOTAL NUMBER OF ALL YEAR LEVELS (including UNGRADED) | 213,984 | ||||
Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2018, “4221.0 – Schools, Australia, 2017”, Table 80a Summary Tables 2008-2016, Table 14, ABS, Canberra
Number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers in 2011 and 2016 from the Census
| 2011 number of ATSI teachers | 2016 number of ATSI teachers | 2011 percentage of ATSI teachers | 2016 percentage of ATSI teachers | |
| Preschool | 527 | 1005 | 2.32% | 2.36% |
| Primary Education | 4007 | 4894 | 1.96% | 2.13% |
| Secondary Education | 2058 | 3083 | 1.37% | 1.75% |
| Combined Primary and Secondary Education | 1632 | 7977 | 1.17% | 6.55% |
| Special School Education | 107 | 202 | 0.96% | 1.32% |
| Total | 8331 | 9184 | 1.17% | 2.02% |
Australian Bureau of Statistics, 10 February 2018, TableBuilder, Findings based on use of ABS TableBuilder data
According to the 2011 census, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples comprised: 2.32% of all preschool teachers were, 1.96% of all primary school teachers, 1.37% of all secondary school teachers and 0.96% of all special school education teachers.
According to the 2016 census, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples comprised: 2.36% of all preschool teachers, 2.13% of all primary school teachers, 1.75% of all secondary teachers and 1.32% of all special school teachers.
NB: We do not currently how many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teachers there are in the workforce. The latest data from the Federal Department of Education and Training (opposed to state departments) is from 2013, and therefore not recent enough to make an accurate picture of how many teachers are in the workforce today. Following inquiries of DET, it seems there are no more recent figures.
