New name for integration program

By Angelo Gavrielatos

The Low Support Needs Integration Funding Program has a new name. On October 24 Education Minister Dr Andrew Refshauge announced the Learning Assistance Program for 2004.

The Learning Assistance Program also subsumes the Learning Difficulties Program.

At the beginning of term 4, the Department of Education and Training (DET) commenced a process of briefing Districts on the allocation of Learning Assistance Program funding for schools.

The new process for allocation of integration funding for low support needs had been the subject of consultation involving all the education "stakeholders" during the course of this year. Members would recall that the issue of low support needs integration funding came under the scrutiny of the Inquiry into the Provision of Public Education in NSW (Vinson Inquiry) and the Parkins Review in 2002.

Federation approached the consultation with the objective of achieving:

i. an increase of no less than $7.6 million in integration funding available for low support needs students. While the Government increased low support needs integration funding by $1.5 million in 2002 for 2003, the modest increase of $7.6 million was recommended in the Vinson report.

ii. an increase of an additional 100 support teacher learning difficulties positions as recommended by both the Vinson report and unanimously by a Ministerial Reference Committee established by former Education Minister John Aquilina; and

iii. the removal of the burden of unnecessary bureaucratic procedures in relation to the application for integration funding annually.

In May the Federation provided a clear statement to DET and the Government indicating the union would reject any model which was cost neutral given the totally inadequate levels of funding available for low support needs.

The announcement by the Dr Refshauge on October 24 demonstrates yet again the lack of regard by the Government with respect to providing adequate funding to support the integration of low support needs students in regular classes.

According to figures provided by the DET, between 2001 and 2003 there has been 51.3 per cent increase in identified low support needs students receiving funding yet there has only been 16.5 per cent increase in funding over that same period.

Angelo Gavrielatos is the Senior Vice President.

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November 2003 contents