Plain-language guide
Equity Index (EQI)
EQI is a number the Ministry uses to decide extra fundingfor schools where students' families are more likely to face money or life stress. It is not a mark out of 10 for how good the teaching is.
How to use this page
This page is for understanding what EQI meanswhen you see it on a school profile or in the news. It does not pick a school for you. It explains a Ministry measure so you are not left guessing whether a higher or lower number means "better" or "worse" teaching (it does not measure that).
Suggested next steps
- Read the short summary below: EQI helps the Ministry send more money to schools that need it - not to rank “best” schools.
- Try a number in the box (344 to 569) to see which band a typical EQI falls into.
- Coming from old deciles? Use the decile to EQI converter for approximate bands and context.
- Open Find schools when you are ready to search or compare schools again.
The Equity Index replaced deciles. It should not be read as a school quality score - only as one input for how funding is shared.
EQI 470·Average disadvantage
Visual scale (illustrative bands)
Reading the colours
Green (left) = lower EQI = on average, fewer families under heavy money or housing stress. Red (right) = higher EQI = on average, more of that kind of stress - so the school may get more funding to help. Not “green = good, red = bad” as schools - both colours can be excellent schools.
What the words mean (first-time readers)
The official words sound formal; below is the same idea in everyday language, with a quick example where it helps.
Low disadvantage (344–390)
On average, fewer families at this school are under strong money or housing stress than at most schools.
Think: more families in stable work and housing - not “rich school”, just fewer extra stresses.
Below average disadvantage (391–440)
A bit below the national middle - everyday stresses are somewhat less common than average.
Example idea: slightly fewer students coming from the tightest budgets or most unstable housing.
Average disadvantage (441–490)
Close to the typical New Zealand school on this measure - a mix of family situations.
Roughly what you’d expect if you picked a random school: some families doing fine, some under real pressure.
Above average disadvantage (491–530)
Above the national middle - more students from families facing serious money or life pressures.
Example idea: more students whose families are juggling low incomes, overcrowding, or frequent moves.
High disadvantage (531–569)
Among the higher ends of this scale - the Ministry often sends extra funding here so the school can support students.
Not “bad school” - it may be doing great work with kids who need more support at home.
In plain English: “disadvantage” and “funding”
- What we mean by disadvantage here:a rough picture of whether students' families are more likely to face things like low income, crowded or unstable housing, or other life pressures - using official stats, not judging anyone.
- What funding means here: the Ministry gives some schools extra money so they can hire support, resources, or programmes for students who need it. EQI helps decide how much - like extra fuel for a hillier road, not a trophy for “winning” schools.
- Example: two schools can both have great teachers. If one serves more families under heavy financial stress, it may have a higher EQI and get more equity funding - that says nothing about which school is “better”.
Does a low EQI mean a bad school?
No. EQI is about whether families face more life or money stress on average - not about how skilled the teachers are.
Is EQI the same as deciles?
No. Deciles grouped schools into ten buckets, while EQI uses a broader range and newer data.
Map old deciles to EQI
Interactive converter: approximate EQI bands for deciles 1–10, with live counts from our dataset.
Open decile to EQI tool →