Special education

Students with Disabilities: Funding 2012 Round 1 Applications

For 2012, in order to apply to receive Australian Government targeted funding for students with disabilities through the Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Program and Victorian Government targeted funding through the State Support Services Program, schools are required to complete the following steps:

1. Submit an online School Summary Sheet listing new applications for funding in 2012.
2. Submit a hard copy of the relevant Students with Disabilities Application for Funding for each student that fits the criteria in Step 1
3. Submit a hard copy with all relevant documentation for each application for Minor Capital Works

Please note that the online school summary sheet will be made available shortly.

Click here to download copies of the Students with Disabilities Applications for Funding. Please note that users will require their 2011 SWD username and password to access the application forms.

Click here to access the Students with Disabilities Handbook 2012

Click here to access the Online Summary Sheet

The Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Program includes the Special Education Component and Students with Disabilities and Impairments components.

The Australian Government supports programs to improve participation in schooling and educational outcomes for students with disabilities. Independent schools in Victoria can apply to Independent Schools Victoria for funding.

Independent schools are strongly committed to providing quality education for students with disabilities. In 2006 the Australian Government’s Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Program provided funding for more than 1,800 students in 165 independent schools. There are nine Independent Schools Victoria member special schools in Victoria that provide programs for students with a range of disabilities.  

To be funded, students must be assessed as eligible in one of the following categories of disability:

• intellectual disability
• severe language disorder
• physical disability
• severe emotional disorder
• autism spectrum disorder
• vision impairment
• hearing impairment.

Funds are also available for eligible students with physical disabilities for physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

Students with learning difficulties are not eligible for funding under this program.

Minor capital works and equipment

Up to $30,000 is available for minor capital works to provide disabled students with access to the school. These funds cannot be used as part of a larger building or renovation project.

Funds are also available to purchase equipment for the disabled student to participate in curriculum and other school activities.

Assessments

Schools can apply for limited funds to subsidise assessments of students’ learning by psychologists and speech pathologists.  Funds are available where there is a demonstrated need and where the family requires financial support.

Process

Applications are reviewed by an eligibility panel that include a psychologist, speech therapist, hearing expert, occupational therapist and other experts. Applications for students with vision impairment are reviewed in consultation with the Education Vision Assessment Clinic. 

A Special Education Committee, comprising Independent Schools Victoria Board Members and representatives from schools who have expertise in disability, makes recommendations to the Independent Schools Victoria Board about the allocation of funds.

Australian Government funding also supports schools and their programs with staff professional development programs.

Click here for additional information relating to meeting the needs of students with disabilities.

Special Education – Per Capita

Independent Schools Victoria administers Special Education – Per Capita funding on behalf of the Australian Government. Schools receive additional funding for every child identified on the Australian Government’s annual Census of Non-Government Schools as having a Commonwealth-defined disability. Commonwealth-defined disabilities are those disabilities for which students can receive funding under the Special Education element of the Australian Government’s Literacy, Numeracy and Special Learning Needs Program. In 2006, schools received $778 per eligible student.

Special Education – Per Capita funding is a form of general recurrent funding and can be used by schools for any aspect of recurrent expenditure. Funding is automatically allocated to schools following completion of the Census.

Downloads

• Independent Schools Victoria Education Services Seminar Program Semester 2, 2011
• Independent Schools Victoria Students with Disabilities Handbook 2012
• Disabilities Funding Fact Sheet
• Independent Special Schools List 2009