KEY POINTS:
Schools will get $215 million over the next four years to help to reduce new entrant class sizes to 15 - a level promised by Labour in 2005.
Education Minister Chris Carter said the $182 million in operating funding and $33.5m in capital funding, announced in the budget today, would provide for extra classrooms and 762 new teachers.
"We know that school is a big step for youngsters. This funding will ensure they have the best education start possible."
The funding followed yesterday's announcement that schools would get a $172m boost to operating funding over the next four years.
Early childhood education also gets a boost in the budget - $64m over four years - to help the sector meet increased costs.
Other education funding in the budget included:
* $75m in capital and $20m in operating funding over the next three years to complete nine schools announced in last year's budget and for two new schools and 130 new classrooms;
* $18.4m over four years for students with high needs;
* the redirection of $6.1m of the existing budget over four years for specialist staff to support blind and vision impaired students;
* $1.8 billion over five years for teacher wage settlements.
- NZPA
