The Independent Education Union of Australia (IEU) will form a coalition later this year in response to the Australian Senate failing to address the under-resourcing of educational needs of students with disabilities.
The IEU, representing members responsible for the education of over 43,000 special needs students in the non-government sector, has already contacted employer, parent and principal groups regarding the recent launch of their Students with Disabilities campaign.
The campaign has already seen IEU members sign and send postcards to their senate representative, demanding that the Abbott Government direct additional federal budget funding to the education of children with disabilities.
“Almost every classroom in Australia is likely to have a student with a disability, yet the Federal Government has failed to provide sufficient funds to support the special education needs of these students,” Federal Secretary Chris Watt said.
“These kids are seriously disadvantaged, and yet the anticipated future loadings increases have not been included in forward estimates,” Mr Watt said.
“The eventual implementation of a new Students with Disability definition will be from the same envelope, meaning no genuine improvement for these kids or their classroom teacher.”
The Gonski Report has previously recommended significant additional funding for special needs students, regardless of where they are enrolled.
The IEU believes that the current funding inadequacies are a major barrier to the provision of essential resources, individual support and access to professional expertise, and that these are essential components in the provision of quality education to students with special needs.
The IEU remains extremely concerned that the under-funding of students with a disability will mean that schools will need to “make do” with already over-stretched resources.
“Many students with special needs will continue to be denied a Quality Education, which is their right.”