By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
A SUPPORT program for students with disabilities has been boosted by $305 million over the next four years but may not stop students “falling through the cracks”, principals and parents say.
The State Government announced in last week’s budget that the Program for Students with Disabilities would get a $28.9 million injection and the Student Disabilities Transport Program $5 million in 2014-’15.
The boost extends help to 1900 more students under the PSD and 350 more under the SDTP.
John Mooney, principal of the Dandenong North-based Emerson School, said he “applauded the recognition for people with disabilities”.
He said the specialist school still needed a “wider ambit” to stop students “falling through the cracks”.
“I get 4-5 calls a day from parents asking for help,” he said. “One of my great challenges with the disabilitiy field is how hard it is to get into our school with all the red-tape and paperwork.
“There are kids who present with clear, profound disabilities but miss out by one point (under the PSD funding criteria).
“We should be able to help them.”
Janeane Baker, whose son with autism spectrum disorder was denied PSD funding, said children would continue to miss out if the criteria remained the same “no matter how much funding may be ‘available’”.
Ms Baker formed a Change the Criteria group in 2012 out of concern for students with high-functioning autism missing out on PSD funding but foundering at mainstream school.
“Students with ASD still need assistance from their end, to help them learn about social norms and expectations, and to help them navigate the school world which is often very confusing for them.
“It’s all well and good for schools to be accepting of kids on the spectrum – it’s fantastic actually – but out in the post-school real world the community is not quite as accepting.”
Officer Specialist School principal Sue Campbell said: “No-one would argue there needs to be a line in the sand somewhere.
“(PSD) is an expensive program. Even some with learning difficulties who are unfunded still get support in mainstream school.”
She hoped the school might play the role in a much-needed ASD campus in the south-east growth corridor.
“Some of that will also be around upskilling schools across the board.”
A spokeswoman for Education Minister Martin Dixon said no changes to the criteria were planned.
A substantial $83.6 million boost for the PSD and SDTPs in 2015-’16 was forecast to cover student number growth “using the same criteria that has been in place for a number of years”.
By that time, the two programs have a budgeted cost of more than $760 million.
Mr Dixon’s spokeswoman said all students with an ASD were supported by regional ASD teacher coaches, teacher training and access to psychologists and speech pathologists.
There was a “focus on creating ASD supportive environments” within schools, she said.
