Students in rural schools perform 56 score points lower than students in Australian cities or large city schools. The Indigenous population, which represents up to 2.5% of the population, has a strong start in education: 95% of 4-14 year-olds participate in education, although they face low attainment rates, with 20% of Indigenous people 15 and over completing Year 12 or equivalent. Raising their performance and attainment can contribute to raising overall equity and quality of education. This programme will distribute about AUD 1.5 billion to over 1 700 schools in socio-economicaliy disadvantaged communities, with additional funding provided by the states and territories.