Communiqu for the Schools Disability Advisory Council Meeting held 4 October 2012

On Thursday 4 October 2012 the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) held the fifth Schools Disability Advisory Council meeting. Senator Jacinta Collins, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations provided a welcome address to members. A role of Council is to provide advice to DEEWR on policy development and implementation in relation to school education programs and initiatives that aim to improve the educational outcomes of school-age children and young people with disability. At this meeting Council commenced the development of position papers to inform DEEWR of on three priority areas including: The National Plan for School Improvement; the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and the Review of Disability Standards for Education 2005. Council noted the National Plan for School Improvement released by the Prime Minister 3 September 2012. It is anticipated that the position paper Council is developing will be considered by government ahead of the development of legislation for future schools funding arrangements. Council reinforced the importance of the Nationally Consistent Data Collection Trial 2012 in collecting consistent data for students with disability and to inform future policy decisions. A final report on the 2012 Trial will be provided to education ministers for their consideration in January 2013. Council wants to ensure schools and organisations providing supports under the NDIS, work together effectively to improve the learning outcomes for students with disability. Council identified the need for explicit advice to schools and parents about the interface of NDIS and education, and emphasised the need to identify this prior to the scheme commencing. Council is continuing to work with DEEWR to implement recommendations from the Review of the Disability Standards for Education 2005. A focus at this meeting was the development of advice to ensure improved awareness of the Standards such as effective guidance for schools and the community in understanding and implementing the Standards, and strengthened accountability provisions.