Investigating the Feasibility of Portable Funding for Students with Disabilities

Monash University has been engaged by the Australian Government through the Department of Education, Science & Training (DEST) to investigate the portability of funding for school students with disabilities.

A key part of this research will be a survey of parents of school students with a disability.

It is important that all parents of students with a disability have the opportunity to participate in this Survey.    So Monash University and DEST have asked the national parent organisations to help get the information out to Principals in schools right across the country.

The Australian Council of State School Organisations (ACSSO) and the Australian Parents Council have long been concerned at a range of unresolved issues affecting the learning and development opportunities for students with disabilities, and the support needs of their families.

So we in turn are asking Principals and Parent Committees in every school across the country to work together to ensure that information about this Survey reaches every family in this situation, with strong encouragement for them to access and complete the Survey Form online.

Paper Versions of Survey: 

If any of those families are unable to access the Survey online, the document can be downloaded and printed on paper: then the paper version completed and mailed back to the research team in the Faculty of Education at Monash University on the address shown on their letter (see below).  Their letter also gives contact details for the team, who can be asked to send out a paper copy of the survey and a reply paid envelope.

Information for Principals, P & F Presidents, and relevant Families

Working closely with the national parent organisations, the team at Monash has developed the following documentation for the specific information of key people in each school community: which you can access and download electronically as shown: 

Online Survey Access

The Online Survey can be accessed and completed at: http://www.projects.education.monash.edu.au/disability-portable-funding/

Opportunity in the Survey to Tell Your Story and Raise Other Issues.

ACSSO and APC particularly wish to draw to attention of families of students with a disability that there is an open-ended section of the Survey [Part 6, section (h)] which invites you to give an outline or “story” of your experiences in relation to the schooling of your child.  We strongly encourage all families in that situation to take that opportunity, and record any particular matters, issues, concerns or other points that you would like drawn to the attention of the Australian Government, including any suggestions you have for ways in which the range of support services to students with a disability can be made easier to access and more effective in their operation.

….And you can also let the parent bodies know about your issues for action

If those parents of students with a disability also wish to bring these or any other matters to the attention of the national parent bodies to take into account in their discussions with and recommendations to the Australian Government about ways in which these support services can be improved, then you can send us this information at the contact addresses shown below.

By email:   director@austparents.edu.au