Policy Submission: Review of Funding for Schooling

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The Julia Farr Association made this submission to the Australian Government, in particular to the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations in the context of the consultation process.

The purpose of this submission is to help ensure that the perspectives and experiences of people living with disability are considered in the Review of Funding for Schooling, so that future funding arrangements ensure that students living with disability get a fair go in education, in line with Australia’s ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Recommendations

Recommendation 1

Adoption of the 9 funding objectives set out in the Monash University 2007 report authored by Moore and Savige.

Recommendation 2

Increasing the overall level of funding available for students living with disability.

Recommendation 3

Implementation of Individualised (Self-directed) Funding.

Recommendation 4

That funding arrangements be adjusted to ensure the removal of system disincentives so that students living with disability have an authentic choice of schools.

Recommendation 5

That there be regular reviews of funding for schools (every 2 to 3 years), especially in relation to the application and impact of monies intended to assist specific students living with disability to access a successful education;

Recommendation 6

That parents and recipient students are properly included as collaborators in the decisions that school makes about how best to spend those monies allocated to assist specific students living with disability to access a successful education.

Recommendation 7

That increased funding be allocated to individual students living with disability for particular learning supports, so that they can access a successful education in their local mainstream classroom/school;

Recommendation 8

That additional funding for students living with disability should be equitable irrespective of the sector in which they are enrolled.

Recommendation 9

That funding be increased for students living with disability to enable them to access necessary supports to achieve equitable education outcomes.

Recommendation 10

That specific measures be taken to heighten the accountability of schools and teachers for the educational outcomes of students living with disability.

Recommendation 11

That effective measures to be developed for regularly assessing school performance in the educational progress of students living with disability.

Recommendation 12

That specific measures be taken to enhance collaboration between teachers, families and the wider community, in support of a successful mainstream education for students living with disability.

Recommendation 13

That specific measures be taken to ensure that teachers have reasonable time to work collaboratively with other parties in support of a successful mainstream education for students living with disability.