Disability and Education Countering the culture of low expectations

CDA at work

Poor Outcomes, poor systems 80% of students with disability attend mainstream schools School completion is 30% lower than other students 63% of students with disability report not fitting in at school 66% of students needing individualised support go without 90% of support funding goes to aides Bullying is still a major problem

Education - The Wasted Years Released August 2009 after a national consultation by the National People with Disabilities and Carer Council A bleak picture of life for people with a disability and their families in every area of community life in Australia The Chapter on Education is called The Wasted Years

National Disability Strategy Australia’s plan to improve citizenship for people with disabilities consistent with the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities. The 6 Policy Action Areas: Inclusive and Accessible Communities Rights Protection and Justice Economic security Learning and Skills Personal and Community Support Health and Wellbeing

So how is change coming? Key milestones Disability Education Standards 2005 The Melbourne Declaration 2008 Professional Standards for Teachers 2011 UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities National Disability Strategy 2011 Gonski Review

Disability Education Standards 2005 Reasonable adjustment Enrolment, participation Harassment and victimisation Curriculum development, accreditation and delivery Support services Associates of students with disability

National Disability Strategy Ch 5 - Learning and Skills Strengthen the capacity of all education providers to deliver inclusive, high quality educational programs for people with all abilities from childhood to adulthood.  Focus on reducing the disparity in educational outcomes for people with a disability and others.  Ensure that Government reforms and initiatives for early childhood, education, training and skill development are responsive to the needs of people with disability.  Improve pathways for students with disability from school to further education, employment and life-long learning.

The Melbourne Declaration 2008 Goal 1: Australian schooling promotes equity and excellence. All Australian governments and all school sectors must: provide all students with access to high-quality schooling that is free from discrimination based on gender, language, sexual orientation, pregnancy, culture, ethnicity, religion, health or disability, socioeconomic background or geographic location And promote personalised learning that aims to fulfil thediverse capabilities of each young Australian. p7

More Support for Students with Disabilities National Partnership  $200M program over 2 years  24 partnerships across State, Catholic and Independent systems  Targeting capacity building activities  Additional funding on top of existing State and Territory funding to schools

MSSD Objectives Students with disabilities have improved learning experiences and outcomes. Schools are better able to meet the educational needs of students with disabilities, in collaboration with parents, carers, and students. Schools become more inclusive environments, in accordance with the DES recognising the diversity students with disabilities bring to the school. Principals are better able to support teachers and teachers are more capable of identifying and addressing the educational needs of students with disabilities. Teachers of students with disabilities have better access to expert support.

What the MSSD is doing Different in each State. Not topping up existing programs but includes: – Provision of technology + training – In-service and pre service training to teachers and principals on teaching strategies – Education of all staff on the Disability Education Standards – Establishing specialist resource centres – Utilsing allied health input – Training of aides

National Professional Standards for Teachers Standards for 4 levels of teachers, covering: Knowledge and understanding of inclusive teaching strategies (graduate) Active implementation (proficient) Leading and mentoring other teachers (highly accomplished) Developing and reviewing school policies (lead)

Gonski Review Proposed new funding model to lift standards across the board To improve top student performance also close the gap between top and bottom students Increase equity across the funding system 2 level funding model. School Resource Standard + loadings for disadvantage

Basic Funding Model School Resource Standard (2009 $) for all students PrimarySecondary $8,000$10,200 Loadings payable for students with disadvantage Disability Aboriginality Remoteness Low English Proficiency

Funding approach for students with disability Loadings will be portable and payable to any system (Independent/Catholic/State) Non-Government special schools to be fully govt funded Disability loadings to be paid to systems not students by the Aust. Government BUT….

Disability Loading not yet in the bag Gonski Review left the detail to governments to work out COAG agreement there should be a loading National Data Collection in 2013 to establish support and adjustment levels Relying on self-report by schools about the need for adjustments Education legislation 2012, Loadings 2013/2014

Curriculum reform Australian Curriculum and Reporting Authority Reviewing the curriculum requirements for students with disability K-10 Consultation open until 7 October Important structural piece of the reforms

What the system needs to look like Strong culture of inclusion and consultation with students and families Real choice of school Skilled staff and informed/motivated leadership, good support systems Core funding expectations to include competencies for the education of all students Good planning, inclusive curriculum and transition support

Reform imperatives Make the disability/learning impairment debate one about education Bring the Disability Education Standards to life Build in as much as possible INSIDE the core expectation of schools and funding systems Use programmatic funding as the primary tool to develop the individual program and sustain the positive environment, supplemented by individual funding where needed

Reform imperatives Inform the conversation on both sides of the school gate. Families and students need to be clear about what is being taught, to what end. Build skills across the teaching workforce Negotiate a strong interface with the NDIS Organise the policy voice in the disability sector Maintain strong advocacy in schools

How will the NDIS interface with education? Launch sites? Therapy? Equipment? Transitions? Planning? Workforce Skills? Coordination across sectors? Advocacy?

NDIS implications for education Detail still emerging Interface arrangements will be dynamic More cross-agency activity at the policy level Greater transparency and accountability for educational outcomes will be required Programs will jump the school gate – higher levels of external coordination, advocacy and expectation will be the norm Not all SWD will be eligible for NDIS

Key reform questions NDISEducation Eligibility – defining functional disability Defining Reasonable and necessary support Design of the trial sites - timing Focus on complementing other sectors and informal support Disability sector development when, who and how Who will lead the sector interface negotiations? National Data Collection - how will it inform the design of the disability loading Capacity building and workforce development – who and how to fund it How to Disability Education Standards Funding model design Where to after the More Support for Students with Disabilities National Partnership? How to define funding for N/G special schools

In Summary Education reform is pivotal to overall disability reform and the raising of expectations It should not be a bolt-on option to the education system, and the funding model should reflect this Interface with the NDIS will be critical It’s about the education, not just the funding package