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