What ACT Education Directorate does

ACT Education Directorate is a government directorate of the Australian Capital Territory Government, responsible for delivering and regulating public education across the ACT. The Directorate manages approximately 80 public schools spanning early childhood education (including a free three-year-old preschool program), primary schooling, secondary schooling (Years 7-10), and college (Years 11-12) education, supported by specialized programs for students with disability, EAL/D learners, gifted and talented students, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students. It also operates the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT Yurauna) for vocational training and the Pathways Hub for career guidance.

The Directorate's underlying technology stack is administrative rather than educational-content oriented: SchoolsNET provides internal ICT infrastructure; the Parent Portal enables information sharing between schools and families; and the School Administration System (SAS) manages student records under role-based access. Service distribution is via the physical school network and the Education Support Office, with the International Education Unit acting as a global channel for CRICOS-registered fee-paying overseas students on visa subclass 500 (including homestay accommodation).

Revenue is non-commercial: the entity is funded primarily through ACT Government budget appropriations, with a secondary revenue stream from international student tuition fees governed by the Overseas Students: Fees Charging Policy (Policy Identifier 00099). Public education is provided free to Australian residents at ACT public schools. The Directorate operates under legislative authority of the Education Act 2004 and holds CRICOS registration (00643J) under the ESOS Act 2000, with additional compliance frameworks covering the Information Privacy Act 2014, Disability Discrimination Act 1992, and ACT Government Cyber Security Policy.

Name

ACT Education Directorate

Legal name

ACT Education Directorate

Website

https://education.act.gov.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

ACT Education Directorate is the Australian Capital Territory Government agency that delivers and regulates free public education from preschool through Year 12 across approximately 80 ACT public schools, including specialized support programs and a CRICOS-registered international student program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Education Services

NAICS

Administration of Education Programs (92311), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional Education Service Agencies (ESAs/BOCES/Intermediate Units) (EDADABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH), Special Needs-Inclusive Early Learning Academies (EDACADAI)

Keywords

• Public education services
• Government schooling
• Early childhood education
• Vocational training
• Inclusive education support

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Core operations funded through ACT Government budget allocations. Education services are provided free to Australian residents at public schools.
2. International Student Fees: Revenue from overseas fee-paying students enrolled in ACT public schools under CRICOS registration. Fees cover tuition and may include homestay accommodation services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ACT Education Directorate administers and delivers government-funded public education across the Australian Capital Territory, operating approximately 90 public schools from preschool through Year 12. It provides free education to Australian residents, specialised support programs for students with disability, EAL/D learners, gifted and talented students, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, plus a CRICOS-registered international student program for overseas fee-paying students and vocational training through CIT.

Product overview

ACT Education Directorate operates a comprehensive public education system offering services from preschool (including free three-year-old preschool) through to Year 12, with over 90 public schools across the Australian Capital Territory. The directorate provides core schooling services, international education programs for overseas fee-paying students, vocational training through CIT, and specialized support programs including disability services, EAL/D language support, and gifted and talented programs. Key digital services include the Parent Portal for family engagement. The directorate also supports apprentices and trainees with cost-of-living payments and provides career pathway services through the Pathways Hub. The portfolio architecture consists of core public schooling as the foundation, supplemented by specialized support modules for diverse learner needs, and enhanced by digital engagement tools and financial support programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ACT Public Schools Education Services
• Free Three-Year-Old Preschool Program
• International Fee-Paying Students Program
• Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) Yurauna
• Skills and Training Services
• Pathways Hub
• Meals in Schools Program
• Apprentice and Trainee Payment Program
• Student Disability Support Services
• English as an Additional Language or Dialect (EAL/D) Program
• Gifted and Talented Students Program
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Services

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Department of Home Affairs (Australia)coreTechnology or IntegrationThe ACT Education Directorate operates as a registered CRICOS provider under the legislative framework of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, complying with Department of Home Affairs visa requirements for international students on subclass 500 visas.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• NSW Department of Education: Administers the largest K-12 public school system in Australia (~2,200 schools) under legislative authority. Direct comparable to the ACT Education Directorate in operating model (state-level directorate funding schools, running specialised programs, delivering international student programs), differing primarily in scale and NSW-specific policy frameworks.
• Australian Government Department of Education: Federal-level counterpart that sets national education policy, administers Commonwealth funding programs (e.g., ESOS/CRICOS framework), and provides supplementary funding. Comparable in regulatory and funding-administration roles, though the federal entity does not operate schools directly.
• Queensland Department of Education: Administers the largest geographically distributed state school system in Australia with similar mandate across K-12, special education, and international students. Same operational and regulatory model as ACT Education Directorate at greater scale and dispersion.
• Tasmania Department of Education: Operates a small state-level K-12 public school system with similar service breadth (special education, EAL, international programs). Most structurally comparable to ACT Education Directorate due to similar small-territory scale and administrative scope.
• Department of Education Western Australia: State-level directorate managing Western Australian public schools, with similar functions in special education, EAL/D support, and international education. Directly comparable in statutory authority and service scope.
• Department for Education South Australia: Administers South Australian government schools under analogous legislative and policy frameworks. Comparable in delivering preschool-through-Year-12 public education, disability and EAL programs, and international student services to a smaller population base similar to the ACT.
• Victoria Department of Education: State-level directorate administering ~1,500+ Victorian government schools, similar role to ACT Education Directorate across primary, secondary, special education, EAL, and vocational pathways. Closely comparable structure including international student programs and central policy authority.
• Northern Territory Department of Education and Training: Manages NT government schools including remote and Indigenous education services. Comparable mandate in administering public K-12 education with specialised support programs, though with greater geographic dispersion and Indigenous community focus.

Emerging players

• Brisbane Catholic Education Office: Non-government school system administrator in Queensland that operates 140+ schools with similar centralised education service delivery, special education programs, and international student pathways. Comparable as an alternative-provider system that competes for ACT families but with private/religious operating mandate.

Regional players

• Ministry of Education New Zealand: Administers New Zealand's state school system across primary and secondary education. Comparable in operating model (state-funded schools with administrative central body) but serves a different national jurisdiction with similar Anglosphere education framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/act-department-of-education-and-training

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ACT Education Directorate