NSW schools get $22.7m from feds

Schools in NSW will get an extra $22.7 million of commonwealth cash this year in a deal federal Education Minister Christopher Pyne says will increase school autonomy.

But the agreement won't lead to independent public schools.

NSW Education Minister Adrian Piccoli said schools would use the cash to consult more with their communities.

He's long insisted the state would not move towards wholesale autonomy.

NSW started its own program to devolve more authority to school principals in 2012.

"Schools will receive an average of $9500 to undertake community engagement activities that are appropriate to their context," Mr Piccoli said in a statement on Tuesday.

Over the next three years, the money will get to all 2200 NSW state schools.

Increasing parental engagement is another of the federal government's priorities for education.

Mr Pyne said NSW had shown great enthusiasm in supporting schools to operate more independently.

NSW Teachers Federation president Marie Mulheron seized on the disparity between the agreement and Mr Pyne's statement to accuse him of misleading people.

Teacher unions have opposed the push for more autonomy, arguing it will cause greater disparity between schools.

NSW is the second-last state or territory to sign up to the $70 million fund, with only Western Australia on the outer.

It has already had an independent public school program in place for several years and which served as a model for the federal scheme.

Mr Pyne said WA had decided to keep paying for its program on its own.