Rodney Hide

20 October, 2010

Success For All - Every School, Every Child

Associate Minister of Education Rodney Hide today launched 'Success for All - Every School, Every Child', the Government's response to the Special Education Review.  The plan sets out changes to be made over four years to ensure children with special needs get a fair deal. 

"'Success for All' is about schools getting ready for all children, whatever their needs.  Everyone in education needs to make sure every child gets a fair go," Mr Hide said.

"In its June 2010 evaluation, the Education Review Office found that at present, only 50 percent of schools are fully inclusive.  That's not good enough. 

"I have set a target of 80 percent of schools being fully inclusive of students with special needs by 2014, with the remaining 20 percent clearly on the way

"The Government has allocated an additional $69 million over four years to special education initiatives in the past two budgets. 

"Eleven hundred more children will get support from the Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes (ORRS), and a further 1,000 will be able to get specialist support in their first three years of school.  There will be more flexible services and support for deaf, blind or low vision children.

"Special schools that support children with very high needs will be retained, and encouraged to provide more specialist out-reach teaching.

"There will be more focus on teaching children with special education needs in initial teacher education. 

"Government agencies - including the Ministry of Education and the Office for Disability Issues - and the disability community will work together to improve awareness of the challenges facing people with disabilities.

"Parents need good information without having to fight for it.  They need to see that their child belongs, has friends, is learning, and is getting the extra help they need when they need it. 

"This Government understands that going to school and learning needs to be a positive experience for all children and young people - including those with special education needs. 

"I look forward to working to achieve a fully inclusive education system by 2014," Mr Hide said.

Further information is available on:
www.minedu.govt.nz/NZEducation/EducationPolicies/SpecialEducation.aspx