Department for Education, South Australia

What Department for Education, South Australia does

The Department for Education, South Australia is the state government authority responsible for delivering public education from birth through Year 12 across South Australia, operating under the Education and Children's Services Act 2019. It runs a state-wide network of more than 500 government schools, preschools, children's centres, and out-of-school hours care (OSHC) and family day care services, covering metropolitan Adelaide and 11 regional zones including the Barossa, Eyre Peninsula, Riverland, and Kangaroo Island. Core service lines include early childhood education (preschool/kindergarten, occasional care, family day care), primary and secondary schooling (Reception to Year 12), vocational education and training via technical colleges, Aboriginal education programs (SAASTA, Clontarf, Shooting Stars, Enter for Success), student wellbeing and mental health services, behaviour support, and disability/NDIS support. Specialist services such as telepractice speech pathology and psychology, school sport, STEM and music education are delivered in-house or via approved panel providers.

The department's technology stack centres on digital platforms supporting service delivery and operations: EdChat (a chatbot for AI-related parent enquiries), Our Learning SA (remote teaching/learning activities), Bookmark (library management), Orbis (teacher professional development), and ClassCover (TRT booking). Revenue is not commercially disclosed; the entity is funded primarily through South Australian Government budget appropriations, supplemented by international student tuition fees for 482 visa holders and user-pay service fees for OSHC and occasional care. Customer segments include families with children from birth to Year 12, enrolled students, educators and school staff, defence force families (via a partnership with the Australian Department of Defence), international students, and approved external service providers. Go-to-market is direct service delivery through zone-based school and preschool enrolment, with multi-channel community engagement via the department's website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and the ThankED recognition platform.

Name

Department for Education, South Australia

Legal name

Department for Education, South Australia

Website

https://education.sa.gov.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

The Department for Education, South Australia is the state government authority delivering public education from birth to Year 12 across South Australia, operating 500+ schools, preschools, and children's centres, plus wellbeing, disability, and vocational programs serving South Australian families, students, and educators.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Education Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Child Care Services (62441), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Child Day Care Services (8351), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Education Department Administration (BPAIABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH), Head Start & Public Pre-K Programs (EDACABAK), State/Provincial/Regional Education Departments (EDADAAAB)

Keywords

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

Headquarters

HQ city

Adelaide, South Australia

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: Primary funding through South Australian Government budget allocations to deliver public education services across the state
2. International Student Fees: Tuition fees charged to families on 482 visas for international students attending South Australian government schools
3. Service Fees: Various service fees including out of school hours care (OSHC), occasional care, and family day care services

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Department for Education, South Australia operates the state public education system from birth through Year 12, delivering preschool/kindergarten, primary, secondary, vocational education, Aboriginal education, student wellbeing, disability support, and out-of-school-hours care across metropolitan Adelaide and regional South Australia. Services are delivered through a network of more than 500 government schools, preschools, children's centres, and approved family day care/OSHC providers, supplemented by digital platforms for enrolment, learning, and information.

Product overview

The Department for Education, South Australia operates a comprehensive public education system offering early childhood services (preschools, OSHC, family day care, occasional care, children's centres), primary and secondary schooling, vocational education, and specialized programs. The department provides a unified platform of educational services rather than a modular software product. Core offerings include preschool/kindergarten enrolment, primary/secondary schooling, Aboriginal education programs (SAASTA, Enter for Success, Clontarf, Shooting Stars), student support services (NDIS support, telepractice, behaviour services), health and wellbeing programs (mental health services, Better Behaviour Centres), financial assistance (School Card, travel concessions), and digital learning resources (Our Learning SA, STEM programs, AI education via EdChat). Operational infrastructure includes Orbis professional development, ClassCover TRT booking, Bookmark library system, and RRHAN-EC mandatory training. The portfolio functions as a government service ecosystem rather than a commercial product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Out of School Hours Care (OSHC) Before and after school care and vacation care services for primary school children of working parents, including third-party provider arrangements under department oversight.
• Preschool and Kindergarten Services Government preschool programs including three-year-old preschool and four-year-old kindergarten for children in the year before compulsory schooling, with enrolment and placement services across SA.
• Family Day Care Approved home-based childcare and education delivered by registered family day care educators for children from birth to school age.
• Children's Centres for Early Childhood Development Integrated early childhood services providing child development checks, parenting support, preschool, and family programs.
• Occasional Care Short-term, casual childcare for children under school age, available on a non-regular basis.
• Primary and Secondary Schooling Government primary and secondary education from Reception through Year 12 delivered across the state-wide network of public schools, including vocational education pathways and technical colleges.
• SA Aboriginal Secondary Training Academy (SAASTA) Specialised training academy providing Aboriginal secondary students with career pathways and employment preparation programs.
• Technical Colleges for VET in High School Vocational education and training programs delivered in high schools, enabling students to earn qualifications while completing secondary education.
• Student Support Services Comprehensive support including speech pathology, psychology services, telepractice programs, and transition-to-work services for students with disability.
• National Student Wellbeing Program (NSWP) Student wellbeing program connecting schools with approved external service providers for pastoral care and student welfare.
• Telepractice Program Remote speech pathology and psychology services delivered via telepractice for students requiring specialist support.
• STEM Learning Programs Science, technology, engineering and mathematics education programs including early childhood STEM, school-industry partnerships, and career pathways.
• Artificial Intelligence in Schools AI education initiatives including the EdChat chatbot for parents and information about AI in curriculum.
• School Sport SA Sports competition and physical education programs for government school students across South Australia.
• Music Education Music education programs and music festivals including DreamBig Children's Festival.
• Mental Health Services Student mental health support including mental health service for schools and student wellbeing leaders.
• Better Behaviour Centres Early intervention behaviour support programs for students requiring additional assistance.
• International Student Homestay Program Accommodation program connecting international students aged 12 or older with approved South Australian host families for cultural exchange and accommodation.
• School Card Scheme Financial assistance program providing school fee concessions and educational expense support for low-income families.
• Student Travel Concessions Public transport concessions and travel allowances for eligible students.
• RRHAN-EC Mandatory Notification Training Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse and Neglect training mandatory for education and care staff, including fundamentals course and masterclass programs.
• Orbis Professional Development Online professional development platform for teachers providing access to training courses and resources.
• TRT Booking Platform (ClassCover) Temporary Relief Teacher booking system enabling schools to manage casual teaching staff.
• Bookmark Library System Library management system supporting school libraries and resource access across the department.
• School Zone and Catchment Finder Online tool enabling families to locate their local school zone or preschool catchment area based on residential address.
• Our Learning SA Remote teaching and learning activities platform providing educational resources for students to use at home.
• Home Education Program Registered home education options for families choosing to educate children outside traditional school settings.
• Aboriginal Education Programs Specialised programs including Enter for Success, Workabout, Clontarf Foundation, and Shooting Stars supporting Aboriginal students.
• Immunisation Services Immunisation requirements and compliance tracking for early childhood services.
• School Dental Service Dental health services available to school-aged children through clinic locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Early intervention programs for children with additional needs from birth
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Australian Department of DefencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Australian Department of Defence delivering the Defence School Mentor Program, supporting wellbeing of children from Defence families. The program connects children with their school community and enhances schools' ability to address impacts of military lifestyle, with priority placement consideration for Defence families.
• International Students SAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on the Homestay Program enabling South Australian families to provide accommodation for international students aged 12 years or older. The program is suitable for various family types committed to providing caring environments.
• Various Approved Panel ProvidersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApproved panel of providers for Tailored Learning services, wellbeing programs, speech pathology and psychology services, and sexual health education delivered to schools

Scale indicators4 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Department of Education, Queensland: Queensland state education department managing public schools, early childhood education, and vocational pathways. Closely comparable as a state government education authority in Australia.
• ACT Education Directorate: Australian Capital Territory education directorate delivering public preschool, primary, secondary and college education. Comparable as a public-sector education provider operating under similar statutory frameworks.
• NSW Department of Education: New South Wales state education department, the largest in Australia by student population. Operates public schools, preschools and TAFE NSW, providing a directly comparable public education delivery model.
• Department for Education, Tasmania: Tasmanian state education department operating public schools and early childhood services. Comparable in scale (smaller jurisdiction) and statutory role to the SA Department for Education.
• Department of Education, Western Australia: Western Australian state education department operating public schools and early childhood services. Directly comparable peer delivering statutory public education across a geographically dispersed state.
• Department of Education, Northern Territory: Northern Territory education department operating public schools across remote and urban communities, with a strong focus on Aboriginal education and inclusion programs closely aligned with SA's portfolio.
• Department of Education, Victoria: Victorian state education department operating the largest school network in Australia. Directly comparable as a state government entity delivering public preschool, primary, secondary, and specialist education services under equivalent statutory authority.

Broad incumbents

• Australian Government Department of Education: Federal education department that funds and sets national policy frameworks across all state education systems. Comparable as a public-sector education authority, but with a policy and funding role rather than direct school delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/edu.sagov
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/department-for-education-sa
• Instagraminstagram.com/edu_sagov

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Department for Education, South Australia