Tasmanian Disability Education Reform Lobby 29 May 2015 No Commitment to Students with Disability In The Tasmanian

Budget The Tasmanian Disability Education Reform Lobby is extremely disappointed that the Tasmanian Government has refused to invest in critically needed improved support for students with disability in yesterdays budget. Whilst $7 million was purportedly allocated to improve support for students with disability in yesterdays budget the reality is that $6 million of the allocated funds are allocated for support school infrastructure in the North and North West with only $1 million allocated to increase support for students with disability representing a less than a 1.5% increase in funding for the 2015/16 year. These infrastructure improvements are important but they do not equate to improved support for students with disability in the classroom. Kristen Desmond, founder of the Tasmanian Disability Education Reform Lobby said The Premier and the Minister for Education have acknowledged the disability education support system in this State is not delivering the education support students with disability deserve but have taken no steps to rectify this situation in this years budget. The increased funding allocated barely keeps up with the inflation rate and is well below the indexation rate applied to funds for these students in the Federal budget. In real terms it is our view that the money allocated in yesterdays budget will result in reduced support for students with disability next financial year and is completely unacceptable she said

Tasmanian students with disability will now be subjected to a third year of a IQ based transitional funding model developed under the previous government with no transition to a needs based funding system in sight. It has been clear for years that our disability education support system is inadequate with IQ based funding leaving the bulk of students with disability with little or no support in mainstream schools. The Tasmanian Government had the opportunity to show a real commitment to these students by allocating funds in yesterdays budget to move away from the inadequate IQ based funding system to a truly needs based funding system and they have failed to show any commitment to these students and their families. Ms Desmond said. Once again the needs of students with disability have been overlooked. Families will have to continue to fight everyday for their childs fundamental right to access a quality education or in some cases any education. It is about time that students with disability were properly resourced and this Government delivered on its promise to improve educational support for

students with disability in this State. Simply saying you are committed to a better education support system for students with disability brings cold comfort to families when the Government had the opportunity to make a real difference and simply chose not to she said The Education Minister does not need to wait for the Improved Support for Students with Disability Taskforce report in order to make changes to the disability education funding system. The reality is that the IQ based disability funding system in Tasmanian schools is inequitable, inadequate and needed to be changed and this should have been addressed in yesterdays budget. Families have every right to be feeling extraordinary let down by this Government she said Media contact Kristen Desmond 0448 037 064