Special needs education badly under-funded

Dr Kaye will address the launch of a report by the Public School

Principals Forum into the provision of services for special needs

students at the NSW Parliament Theatrette at 2pm on Wednesday 10 June.

He said: "Children with multiple special needs are often funded as if

they had only one disability. Predictably, that is usually the

cheapest.

"It is time to end cost cutting at the expense of outcomes for the most

vulnerable children in NSW public schools.

"This is not just a matter of the rights of the students and their

teachers, it is about reducing costs in the long term.

"By failing to invest in early intervention, NSW Education Minister

Verity Firth is passing on costs to community services and, in extreme

cases, prisons.

"Spending on more teachers now to reduce class sizes will help students

with disabilities realise their potential to live a more fulfilling

life.

"In many cases better attention at school can have a dramatic impact on

later life. It can mean the difference between holding down a job or

becoming dependent on welfare services.

"Minister Firth needs to work with teachers, parents and principals to

make sure that every student is resourced to meet their individual

needs.

"The cumbersome special needs assessment system puts a massive burden

on schools and fails too many students.

"Reducing class sizes would deliver a massive benefit to all students

and lower the stress on teachers who are frustrated by the unreasonable

demands placed upon them.

"Minister Firth has been invited to today’s forum to hear from teachers

and parents. We hope she will attend," Dr Kaye said.