Frequently Asked Questions

ASCA is a not for profit member association of schools. The Board consists of current and former school Principals and Business Managers.

There is no cost for the school to join ASCA. 

There are approximately 74,000 member schools, with over 4,000 using the canteen service. ASCA has members in every state and territory. Members include primary and secondary schools, state, independent, and Catholic schools.

School members can access advice on the best value suppliers for the school in various categories. Most ASCA recommended suppliers provide additional discounts of value-adding services for ASCA member schools. Similar services are provided to school canteens about canteen suppliers, as well as specific canteen advice, and outsourcing advice.

ASCA asks its member schools who they recommend, researches the market for the best value suppliers in the school market, and negotiates with suppliers for additional benefits for member schools.

Use of the suppliers is optional. For school canteens, it is important that they use the local distributor recommended by ASCA, as most ASCA discounts are negotiated with manufacturers of food and drink only when supplied by the recommended distributor.

ASCA recommends best value suppliers for schools who already have a strong record in schools, and so helps save the legwork for schools when selecting suppliers. ASCA members get the best prices and conditions from recommended suppliers, and most provide special benefits for ASCA members. When schools buy from ASCA recommended suppliers they indirectly help ASCA fund the education of vulnerable children. ASCA Area Managers are an independent source of information for schools and canteens to utilise. 

ASCA profits are placed into a charitable trust, and the income from the trust is donated each year to charities that support the education of vulnerable children. In our 40th Anniversary year in 2019, we donated $250,000, and in 2020, this was increased due to the added needs of these charities in the current pandemic. We have currently raised over $11M for our Charity Partners. 

Charities must use the donation from ASCA to support the education of vulnerable children. The ASCA charitable trust has an independent board that selects charities to support. We now support 10 charities, including The Smith Family and St Vincent de Paul.

More information is available on our website, including how to join ASCA, and how staff can register for various special services. Also, ASCA has Area Managers for each state and territory who are available to assist you.