Labor demands school money answers

Labor is demanding the Turnbull government break the golden rule of poker and negotiations: never give away your hand.

Opposition education spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek wants the prime minister to urgently reveal how much money his government will provide for schools in the coming years.

The commonwealth is in the midst of negotiations with the states for a new school funding deal which needs to start in 2018.

"Time is running out," Ms Plibersek wrote in a letter to Malcolm Turnbull on Monday.

She wants him to outline the total funding the commonwealth will put on the table, how much it intends to give to each state and private school system, and what each individual school will get.

Ms Plibersek has also asked him to explain "why your government tore up agreements" requiring states and territories not to cut funding but to demonstrate they were improving teaching and student achievement.

Education ministers have been working on a new deal, with federal minister Simon Birmingham saying the agreement now in force is a corruption of the Gonski model.

He wants the states to agree to a range of measures, such as tougher standards for teachers and tests for Year 1 students, in exchange for commonwealth funding.

The deal is expected to be signed by leaders in April.