8 June 2017

Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Education and Training

Survey highlights support for students with disability

The Hodgman Liberal Government is committed to ensuring Tasmanian schools are inclusive and provide a positive learning environment for students with disability.

That is why the Tasmanian Government has allocated $12 million over four years to implement reforms from the Ministerial Taskforce for Improved Support for Students with Disability.

A survey by KPMG of 575 school staff and parents of students with disability has been completed to measure how well Ministerial Taskforce recommendations have been implemented in public schools to date, and to identify where we can improve further.

Key findings include:

• 83 per cent of parents felt their school was inclusive for students with disability;
• 83 per cent of parents felt their school was able to make adjustments to cater for students with disability;
• The modification of programs was identified by all groups surveyed as the way to make the greatest impact on schools ability to cater for students with disability.

The survey demonstrates that the Government is on the right track, however there is still more to be done.  The results will be used to drive further improvements within schools.

Over the past 12 months, the Government has implemented a range of programs and initiatives aimed at ensuring students with disability can thrive in government schools.

These include:

• Family Partnerships Model Program
• Inclusive Education Specialisation Initiative
• Education Support Specialist Initiative
• Support School Collaborations Program
• Inclusive Practices Resources
• Professional Support Staff Network.

The full report along with a snapshot document providing a Supporting Students with Disability Update for 2017 is available at education.tas.gov.au

More Media Releases from Jeremy Rockliff

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