7.0 Support students with additional learning needs
7.1 Funding of special education and support services
The QTU supports inclusive education. Students experience inclusive education when they can access and fully participate in learning, alongside their similar-aged peers, supported by reasonable adjustments and teaching strategies tailored to meet their individual needs. However, for this to be realised, the QTU asserts that the Queensland Government must invest at a much higher level to enable teachers and education leaders to effectively deliver appropriate inclusive education programs. The funding for special education services must include funding for any recommendations made by the recent Royal Commission pertaining to inclusive education and special schools. Consultation with the QTU about the implementation of these recommendations must occur.
The QTU notes that the Department of Education has implemented a newly developed reasonable adjustment resourcing (RAR) funding model and allocated additional staffing to manage the transition to this model. However, the QTU stresses that it is key to successful special education in this state that an effective, indexed recurrent funding model for students with disability is implemented, one that recognises the level of disability of each student and the complexity of managing their disability in schools, and allocates funds on this basis.
The QTU supports and advocates for the provision of special schools and for their continuation, as they play a crucial role and have an important place within an inclusive education system.
The employment of teachers and other school-based officers with qualifications relevant to the education of students with a disability is essential to the delivery of successful inclusive education. The QTU calls on the government to support teachers in undertaking post-graduate study linked to special or inclusive education, to boost the number of teachers with specialised qualifications. The QTU urges the government to lobby the university sector to reintroduce stand-alone special education teaching degrees. The QTU also calls on the state government to provide financial support and leave provisions to enable teachers to access post-graduate courses.
Early childhood development programs (ECDPs) are a key element in Queensland’s special education
support services. They support young Queensland children with a diagnosed or suspected disability and
their families with wrap-around education and care. Research shows that early support is essential for these vulnerable students. The QTU strongly supports the continuation of current ECDPs in all regions throughout the state. We continue to urge the Palaszczuk government to commit to the continued operation of ECDPs in Queensland and increase the number of teachers that can be employed in ECDPs.
Advisory visiting teachers (AVTs) play a crucial role in supporting the high-quality curriculum and therapy delivered in state schools. AVTs are vital in providing specialist knowledge and skills to support teachers working with students with special needs. AVTs also provide a vital conduit between all stakeholders, including NDIS providers. Current funding allocations have reduced this vital service, which is only provided to students with low incidence disabilities, such as hearing impairment, visual impairment, physical impairment and intellectual impairment. QTU calls on the Queensland Government to expand AVT support to all disability groups, as well as support for complex behaviour management and students with other learning and social needs, as outlined in the Royal Commission.
Heads of special education services (HOSES) provide a vital service in schools, working with colleagues
to plan and implement effective reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities. They case-manage students and assist in accessing external stakeholders. The Queensland Government must commit to funding HOSES roles in new schools, schools with rapid population growth, and complex schools, including those in low socio-economic areas and areas with high levels of complexity.
The suite of supports for student with disabilities must be funded more effectively. Given the number of students experiencing social and emotional issues or displaying complex behaviours that impact on their learning, the Queensland Government must fund the wrap-around services provided by social workers, occupational therapists, psychologists and other professional support, to support students with disabilities. In addition, speech language pathology specialty services (SLP services) must be increased, as the current situation sees a significant number of schools receiving fewer SLP services than needed.
7.2 Backing guidance officers
Teachers who are qualified as guidance officers (GOs) work with students, families and school communities and guide the support needed for many students with complex needs, and they are of enormous importance to the school system. GOs are on the frontline of providing support for children with mental health issues and often work with the most vulnerable students, such as “kids in care” and children experiencing domestic or family violence. In secondary schools, GOs also play a significant role in vocational and careers support and the successful transition into productive employment. They liaise with external stakeholders to access support services for these students and their families, and provide pedagogical advice to teachers working with these students.
The support provided by senior guidance officers (SGOs) to GOs is central to successful outcomes for
students. SGOs provide regular clinical and technical supervision of guidance officers, including programs of induction and professional development. SGOs collaborate with principals to facilitate the provision of guidance services that are appropriate and relevant to each school context. Geographically, smaller and remote schools’ limited capacity to access the support of GOs and SGOs impacts upon the outcomes that students and families experience.
Despite the crucial work GOs and SGOs perform, there is no transparent allocation of guidance positions across the state. The QTU calls for increased transparency and central funding of guidance positions, including clear allocations of additional “school-purchased” guidance officers.
To ensure that all schools have access to high quality guidance services, the QTU calls on the Queensland Government to guarantee that all schools are allocated one permanent full-time guidance officer per 500 FTE student enrolments, with additional funded allocations for complexity and geographic isolation or cluster support arrangements. In addition, the QTU calls on the government to fund a ratio of one senior guidance officer per eight guidance officers, with additional allocations for complexity and/or geographic isolation.
RECOMMENDATIONS
55. Establish and fund a needs-based school resourcing model should that is more responsive to inclusion support and caters for increasingly intense and diverse student learning and health considerations impacting student engagement and learning in schools.
56. Establish and fund a staffing model for students with a disability in outside special school settings that is fully funded by Treasury and has fixed staffing and resourcing ratios.
57. Maintain and resource special schools and special education programs to allow school choice, and ensure appropriately resourced schools to support student learning.
58. Continue to fund and staff ECDPs (Early Childhood Development Programs) and remove the funding ceiling.
59. Introduce departmental funding/sponsorship to enable teachers to undertake post-graduate study in the education of students with disability.
60. Fund head of special education services (HOSES) positions in new schools, those schools with rapid growth, and complex, low socio-economic schools.
61. Guarantee that all schools are allocated one permanent full-time guidance officer per 500 FTE student enrolments, with additional loadings for complexity and geographic isolation.
62. Provide quality clinical and technical supervision of guidance officers by committing to an allocation of one senior guidance officers per eight guidance officers, with additional allocations for complexity and/or geographic isolation.
QTU State Budget Submission 2024-25