NCCD Classification Changes and Impact on Disability Loading Funding

Question

Senator KOVACIC: Where I'm having a little bit of confusion thinking this through now is that-Ms Brighton, I think you said this-the money goes to the schools to fund the adjustments, but then the students don't receive it, because they don't need it. Did I understand that correctly? Maybe you can clarify that for me, because perhaps I didn't understand it clearly. Also, they are classified to need adjustments, but some are not getting those adjustments. Can we just reclassify those kids? What is actually happening here? Dr Rocha: The loading is paid on provision rather than need. I think that's an important distinction. Senator KOVACIC: Right. If they're classified to get it but they don't use it then there's no funding, because it wasn't provided. Dr Rocha: Yes. The NCCD should be recording the adjustments that have been provided by the school. The funding is notionally allocated by the Commonwealth across three levels, depending on how expensive we expect that level of adjustment to be in the system. Senator KOVACIC: How many students does the department assume will be removed from, downgraded within or not accepted to the NCCD-funded categories to achieve the compliance saving? Ms Donegan: We're not expecting that any students will be removed from the NCCD. As we said, because the measure is still compliant with the Disability Discrimination Act and the Disability Standards for Education, all students will still be recorded- Senator KOVACIC: Everyone will still get it; they'll just get a different classification? Ms Donegan: They may get a different classification. What we're doing is making sure that, for all students who are recorded in the system, where they have an adjustment, that adjustment is recorded as consistently as possible. Sometimes, in one system, it might be recorded as an extensive need; in another system, it might be lower than that. So we're making it clear at what level it should be provided, and that's what makes the difference. Senator KOVACIC: Okay. That's what I'm trying to get my head around. Obviously, there are also children not receiving the support that they're assessed to need. If some need to go up and some need to go-well, 'moved around up and down' is the wrong terminology, but, if they have go to a different category- Ms Brighton: We would expect, through this clarification of the NCCD guidelines, that some students will be moved to a classification that more accurately reflects the adjustments they need, and, in some cases, that will be that students move from a lower category to a higher category. Senator KOVACIC: Is any of the $463.2 million saving coming from ceasing undersubscribed student loan programs, or is it all from school compliance? Ms Brighton: The $463 million save is around the students with disability and schooling components. The other component of the measure- Mr Cook: is the discontinuation of the start-up year. Senator KOVACIC: Yes. Mr Cook: I should know the number. It's $10 million or something like that. Senator KOVACIC: Okay. Could you please provide a breakdown of the variance in the cuts from the school compliance, state by state, on notice if possible. Mr Cook: I don't think we've got a state-by-state breakdown. Senator KOVACIC: You don't? Mr Cook: We'll take it on notice, as you asked, and see what we can do; I'm just not aware of us ever doing it state by state. Dr Rocha: No, we modelled it at a national level. Senator KOVACIC: Only nationally? You don't have it state by state? Mr Cook: No.

Answer

Please see the attached PDF.

Documents

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• SQ26-000680.pdf (opens in a new tab)