Since the mid-1990s, progress has been made towards policies that address the issue of floating children’s education by pulling together sending area and host destination governments in sharing responsibilities; for example, requiring host destination governments to account for migrant children’s education in their budget plan, limiting the number of students who leave their Hukou, and charging migrant and local students equal fees (Chen and Liang 2007; Liu 2012). However, problems persist. While some migrant-sponsored schools that meet government requirements have been legalised, many are not and are forced to close, putting pressure on the public school system. Legalised schools are known to increase their fees after being recognised. Despite implementing a ‘unified school fee’ (Yifeizhi) policy for primary schools in 2004 (CERN 2004; Painter and Mok 2008), public finances will be strained to cope with the sheer number of students in urban areas once floating migrant children are accounted for. Public schools are also unwilling to forgo the economic rent from add-on fees.