All Queensland schools are required to adhere to the
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the
Disability Standards for Education 2005. All schools must therefore make reasonable adjustments to ensure students with disability are able to participate in education on the same basis as students without disability.
Purpose
The purpose and objectives of the program are to:
- improve access to and participation in the curriculum for
students with disability in non-state schools through implementation of appropriate adjustments in the areas of
- curriculum
- communication
- social participation/emotional wellbeing
- health and personal care
- safety
- learning environment/access
- support the educational outcomes of eligible students with disability by
- ensuring teachers have the support and training they need to plan, implement, review and monitor educational adjustments that promote access to and participation in the life of the school and personalised planning
- supporting teachers and school leaders to implement strategies that proactively engage all students in all aspects of schooling, including students who require specific strategies to support their participation
- respecting and embracing parents and families as partners in their child/ren's education
- using technology and existing networks to share good practice
- considering the needs of students with disability in any reviews of school resourcing.
Target group – eligibility
The Australian Government's Nationally consistent collection of data on school students with disability (NCCD) is used to identify students with disability. Students reported in the NCCD's highest 3 levels of adjustment (supplementary, substantial and extensive) are eligible for support through the program.
Use of funds
The funds are to be used to support eligible students through:
- the improvement of in school resourcing for students with disability. In school support may include: teacher aide time, professional development for teachers working with eligible students with disability, purchase of external support services to enable access and participation in schooling (including therapists and other specialist support), the purchase of specialised equipment and resources for the student and/or their teachers to use for schooling purposes
- the provision of centralised or regionalised services to support eligible students with disability.
Administration of the program
The program is administered for each non-state sector by 2 approved authorities—Queensland Catholic Education Commission (QCEC) and Independent Schools Queensland (ISQ)—under a 3-year service agreement.
Allocation of funds
The distribution of funds between the 2 approved authorities for any financial year will be based on the NCCD most recently provided by the Australian Government to the Queensland Department of Education. The total number of students with disability enrolled at schools affiliated with each authority forms the basis for the distribution of funds.
QCEC and ISQ must employ allocative methodologies to disburse the funds in accordance with the purpose and objectives of the program.
Accountability overview
The state government requires QCEC and ISQ to account for the allocation and use of the funds and therefore requires the collection of information from relevant authorities and/or schools to facilitate this requirement.
Schools are required to:
- hold relevant documentation that validates the inclusion of each student in the NCCD and the educational adjustments in place for each eligible student
- develop, implement and review education/personalised plans for each eligible student, which includes any adjustments required to support improved educational outcomes
- provide audited statements to their respective authority verifying that the funds were expended to support the educational adjustments in place for the eligible student.
Accountability information submitted by QCEC and ISQ for the previous year must be approved by the state government prior to a scheduled funding payment occurring.
Approved policy
Students with disability in non-state schools policy
Review of the policy
To maintain relevance, the policy is reviewed every 3 years or as required. The policy was last reviewed in September 2023.