Victoria is standing firm against pressure to have its schoolchildren ready to return to face-to-face learning within a month, as another person dies from the coronavirus in the state.

The woman in her 80s died in hospital on Tuesday, bringing Victoria's death toll to 18.

The total number of Victorian cases rose by three on Wednesday to 1354, but only 67 are active, with 1287 having now recovered.

The federal government has offered private schools across Australia an early payment of 12.5 per cent of their annual funding, or $1.7 billion, if they get students back into classrooms by the end of May.

The same amount would be paid on June 9 if at least half their students are back in regular classroom-based learning from June 1.

The cash would otherwise be given to them in July.

Victorian Education Minister James Merlino has lashed the offer, which comes as parents in the state are urged to keep children at home to learn remotely if they can.

"What the federal government is doing is using funding to force non-government schools to ignore the expert health advice of the Victorian chief health officer," Mr Merlino said on Wednesday.

"Expert health advice, not money, should determine whether or not a school fully opens for students, staff and teachers."

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton is recommending most students stay home.

But the health advice from the national Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy is that there is no evidence of transmission of the virus at schools and that students don't need to exercise social distancing.

"The best place for them to be during those school years is in the classroom and being with their friends and getting the best outcomes. We believe that's now safe for that to occur," Deputy Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said in Canberra on Wednesday.

"Different states will make their own decisions in relation to their own schools that they run. Victoria is a bit different from other states, the ACT is a bit different from others as well."

Independent Schools Victoria says it has been put in an "extraordinarily difficult and unfair position".

"'Independent schools are being used as a wedge in a policy disagreement between the federal and Victorian governments," chief executive Michelle Green said.

"This is unfair and entirely inappropriate when what's at stake is the health of children and their teachers."

Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan said the policy wasn't aimed at undermining the Victorian government's approach.

"We're not undermining it and it's not a bribe," he told 3AW.

"As the commonwealth government, this is for all states and territories. This isn't designed for one particular state."

The idea is to give schools a cash boost if they need it to cope with the virus crisis while also giving them an incentive to end learning from home, with schools having until Friday to opt in.

The Victorian government won't loosen any restrictions to combat coronavirus until at least May 11, when a state of emergency comes to an end.

It wants 100,000 people to be tested for COVID-19 within two weeks to help inform its decisions at that time.

Among those tested for the virus on Wednesday was CFMEU boss John Setka, who joined construction workers being tested at the $2.8 billion Melbourne Square site at Southbank.