The Associate Minister of Education, Hon Lianne Dalziel, said today educationalist Cathy Wylie would head the review into Special Education 2000.

The Government indicated prior to the election it would carry out a review of aspects of the SE2000 policy, which has been implemented progressively from 1997.

Lianne Dalziel said that it had become apparent that some aspects of the policy were not working well. "It is necessary to carry out the review to ensure the policy is providing the support the students with special education needs require.

"Dr Wylie is a highly skilled educationalist and experienced researcher. She has been involved in education policy research for many years. She has been a senior researcher and group leader for the New Zealand Council for Educational Research since 1993, as well as managing the education phase of the Royal Commission on Social Policy from 1987 to 1988," Lianne Dalziel said.

"Dr Wylie has carried out significant research on the education reforms of the last decade, and leads the longitudinal Competent Children study which is providing valuable information on the contributions early childhood education, schools, and family make to children’s development."

Lianne Dalziel said the four key areas that are the subject of the review are:

 Students currently on the margin between moderate and high special education needs in the school sector, with a view to assessing the extent to which these students are in fact receiving appropriate support;

 Issues and problems associated with staffing special education units, particularly with a view to assessing the degree to which viability can be determined by long-term enrolment patterns;

 The Special Education Grant, to assess the extent to which it enables schools to meet moderate special education needs of students, with particular reference to those students in "magnet" schools, small and rural schools and kura kaupapa Maori, and

 The effectiveness of recent changes to the special education transport policy, with a view to clarifying the future direction for special education transport policy.

Lianne Dalziel said she expects the review to be completed by the end of July 2000. She acknowledged the timeframe for such a review was tight, but emphasised the need for any recommended changes to be implemented in time for the 2001 school year.

"I am confident that Dr Wylie will be able to meet this timeframe, and that those providing input to the review will also acknowledge the need to ensure that these results can be implemented in time for the next school year," Lianne Dalziel said.

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