Opening Comments On Review Of Special Education
Hon Heather Roy, Associate Minister Of Education
Thursday, September 10 2009.

Hon Heather Roy speech to Sector and Stakeholders Group; Ministry of Education, Wellington; Thursday September 10 2009.

Welcome to you all. Your presence today indicates your interest in the Review of Special Education and what it seeks to achieve:

"providing the very best education and support for students with special education needs so that they can participate, contribute and achieve not just in education, but in their communities
Since becoming Associate Minister of Education with responsibility for Special Education I have visited many schools and organisations that provide education and services for those with special needs. Many parents, sector groups and principals have told me that there are things that need fixing in special education. I have been told that there is more that we could do; that attitudes need to change.

I have also been told different things by different people - there is a wide range of perspectives on the improvements required in special education, and on how to make them.

I have been moved and concerned over some of the things that I have heard and am determined to find ways that we can do better. The Review of Special Education is an important first step in that direction.

While special education does have its challenges, I am impressed by the commitment of those who work in the area. I am equally impressed by the commitment of many in the wider education sector, while not having ‘special education' in their job title or job description, are motivated to do the best for all students.

For some students with special education needs we are achieving great outcomes. The challenge now ensure that more students achieve those great outcomes - how do we develop schools, practice, programmes and policy that add value to the work of committed teachers, practitioners and principals?

The Government's commitment to special education is demonstrated by the additional funding made available for special education property and in the expansion of support to additional students through the Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme (ORRS).

As evidence of this commitment I am happy to be able to announce that today that the Government has agreed to allocate $15 million of new money to redevelop the BLENNZ campus in Auckland.

Some of you may be unfamiliar with BLENNZ, which was previously the Homai School for the Blind and provided residential care and education for children from babies through to adulthood.

The Homai campus now needs to be totally re-developed to acknowledge changes that have occurred over the past 20 years and to recognise BLENNZ's status as a Centre of Excellence providing for children who now live at home and receive their education in their local school.

This is a logical - and overdue - acknowledgement of the exciting work that BLENNZ is doing to achieve better outcomes for children and young people who are blind or have low vision.

While the additional funding is important and useful, we cannot rely solely on the new property funding and additional $51 million for ORRS over four years to make the improvements that parents and others are demanding. We need to be sure that we are getting the best for students and their families from the remaining $451 million spent annually on special education.

The Special Education 2000 policy has been in place for 10 years. Although this policy increased provision of funding and services, there continues to be high expectations and demand for effective provision and funding. There has been increased prevalence of diagnosis of some disabilities and support for students in a range of setting adds to the mix of complexities related to special education provision.

Increased funding has often led to increased fragmentation of provision within education, and life can become even more complex for families when other agencies are involved in providing support and services.

I am aware that parents do not always have the level of choice about provision and schooling that enables them to be positively involved in the planning and support for their disabled child.

At times the choice of the local school is not welcomed by the local school, or the choice of a special school is at times discouraged through tensions arising from what is perceived as a bureaucratic process.

While not all choices can be funded we need to maximise the opportunities for parents to make important schooling and programme choices for their child. Wherever a parent chooses to send their child to school we need to ensure that we get the right services and support available to make that the best choice.

The issues of choice, access to schooling and access to additional special education support are important dimensions of the review. Quality provision, value for money and outcomes and accountability are other important matters that will be considered within the first phase of the review. Further detail on the review will be provided in the presentation that follows.

While the review is entitled the Review of Special Education, it is important to remember that the best results will be achieved when there is commitment and positive attitudes from all those people within education who do not necessarily have special education in their job title or job description. This means all schools are capable and welcoming and all teachers are able and confident in meeting the diversity of needs in their classrooms.

I look forward to your ongoing interest in the review. Your feedback on what is proposed within the review will be important and welcomed.

The opportunity to do better for students with special education needs is an opportunity for us all.

ENDS

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