Special education dispute continues

By

Gary Zadkovich

DET has not given way on the reclassification of teachers or the reallocation of funding.

Federation continues to oppose the Department of Education and Training's (DET's) attempts to change the way special education support is delivered to students in regular schools. Proposals to abolish more than 1800 existing support positions and replace them with a new classification of employment called school learning support coordinators, and to change the way funds are allocated to schools, have met with sustained criticism and concern across NSW.

Federation has pursued this matter in the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) and in direct negotiations with the DET and Education Minister Verity Firth. As a result of this action, DET has changed the title from coordinator to teacher and revised the role statement. DET has said, however, that the assistant principal positions involved will not retain their status but be "aligned" to that classification with salary maintenance. Federation rejects this and will pursue the matter in the IRC.

Funding allocation to schools

DET has confirmed it proposes to change the way funds are allocated to schools for students with autism and/or mental health disorders who currently receive $6000 or less per annum. These funds are to be allocated for autism on the basis of "prevalence" in the community and for mental health disorder on the same basis as the Learning Assistance Program funds, which are based on National Assessment Program - Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) test scores. This will mean that individual students will not require diagnosis to be identified for funding. Funds for these students will be capped at 2009 levels. Total funding is $26.7 million (autism $12 million; mental health disorder $14.7 million). Current Learning Assistance Program (LAP) funding totals $7.7 million. While there will be no actual reduction in the funding allocated to schools, there will be a redistribution of the funds which will impact on individual students and schools.

The effect of "capping" these funds means the Government and DET will spread the existing funds more thinly across schools. By changing from a diagnosis-based identification of students, governments avoid their obligation to increase funding proportionate to actual student need. Funding becomes a budgetary decision, rather than a needs-based one.

Federation decided at Annual Conference to "oppose the DET proposal to abolish most classifications of Support Teacher and replace them with one classification of School Learning Support Coordinator (Teacher), or similar title".

Members are urged to continue lobbying local MPs with concerns and requests in this campaign.

Federation has obtained legal advice and is considering further legal action. The most recent IRC hearing was on August 5. Justice Kavanagh indicated that a range of issues including the implications for individual teachers, processes of consultation, payment of allowances and the timing of implementation will need to be resolved. A further hearing is scheduled for August 21.

Annual Conference also called for a National Partnership on Special Education. This call is based on a fundamental equity principle: students with special education needs deserve as much support from federal and state funding initiatives as any other students.

Gary Zadkovich is Deputy President.

MP approached on special education cuts

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August 2009 contents