Melbourne’s most advantaged state schools are reaping four times the money from parent levies than their poorer counterparts, new research has found.

The study raises concerns about growing inequity within the public education system and has sparked calls for greater oversight of parent payments.

Melbourne mother Melanie says the cost of sending her twins, Molly and Blake, to a public high school have been "overwhelming". Credit:Chris Hopkins

While parents at the poorest state schools forked out an average of $408 for each child every year, those at the most advantaged state schools stumped up $1430, according to research by Deakin and Murdoch universities.

It found that the average annual cost of sending a child to a state school in metropolitan Melbourne is $846, a big burden for many parents.