Enrolment in State Primary, Secondary and Special Schools

EGPA (2006) Implementation and New Policies and Procedures Workshop – November 2006

Enrolment in State schools

Legislation (s155 – s175)

• Applications for enrolment • Enrolment Agreements • • Enrolment Management Plan

Disability Discrimination Act 1992

and

Disability Standards for Education 2005

Enrolment in State schools

Applications for Enrolment

• Use of an approved form • Entitlement to enrol • Risk to safety and wellbeing • Refusal to enrol

Enrolment in State schools

Student Enrolment Form • Requirements for enrolment Satisfactory evidence  birth certificate;  confirmation of identity (student and parent); and  confirmation of principal place of residence •

Schools Assistance Act 2004

• School Management System

Enrolment in State schools

Enrolment • all students have equal access • all students are generally entitled to enrol at their closest appropriate school • one enrolment procedure for primary, secondary and special schools

Enrolment in State schools

Enrolment • If entitled to enrol under the Act, Principal must enrol the student • Risk to safety and wellbeing – application is referred to the Director-General for a decision

Enrolment in State schools

Enrolment Decision-Maker • Principal – primary and secondary schools • Principal Advisor, Education Services – special schools • Director-General – risk to safety and wellbeing

Enrolment in State schools

Enrolment Agreement • rights, responsibilities and obligations • provided before the enrolment is accepted • signed by parent, student (if appropriate) and principal (or representative) • school modifies template to suit

Enrolment in State schools

Enrolment Package • • Enrolment agreement

Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students

•

Student Dress Code

• Other information, school policies, programs and services including those for students with disabilities

Enrolment in State schools

Parents (or Independent Student) • seek enrolment at school of choice • complete student enrolment form • provide required information • provide Transfer Note • sign enrolment agreement – support school policies

Enrolment in State schools

Principals – Primary, Secondary and Special • provide enrolment package to parents • provide other information on school policies, programs and services including those for students with disabilities

Enrolment in State schools

Principals – Primary, Secondary and Special • ensure parents of prospective students with a disability are offered an opportunity to meet with the Principal Education Officer, Student Services • indicate on enrolment agreement whether this has occurred

Enrolment in State schools

Principals – Primary, Secondary and Special • Assesses prospective student’s eligibility – Transfer Note (or requests one) – remaining semester allocation of state education – suspension or suspension pending an exclusion or not completed suspension at another school – unacceptable risk to safety and wellbeing

Enrolment in State schools

Principals – Primary and Secondary Schools • decide to enrol student if entitled • notify applicant of acceptance of enrolment • provide written advice to PEO, Student Services when accepting a student into a program for students with disabilities (

Form D

)

Enrolment in State schools

•

Disability Discrimination Act 1992

and

Disability Standards for Education 2005

requires that all students seeking enrolment in a State school be given equal rights and given access on the same basis as students who do not have a disability • a student must be enrolled if entitled to under the

EGPA 2006

Enrolment in State schools

• Principals will be the decision-maker for students with a disability seeking enrolment at their school • Principals will make decisions about access to special education programs and services provided in their school • few grounds to refuse enrolment - not meeting requirements for age - semester allocation - EMP - unacceptable risk to safety and wellbeing

Enrolment in State schools

• parents of students with a disability will need to be well informed of the range of programs in the district that will best meet their child’s needs • Principal has to ensure that parents of prospective students with a disability are offered an opportunity to meet with PEO,SS or nominee to discuss programs and services available across the district / region

Enrolment in State schools

• school websites will include the range of programs provided in each school and how those programs operate so parents are well informed before the enrolment is finalised • Principals will be supported by district office staff in the enrolment decision-making process • Principals provide written advice to PEO,SS when accepting a student into a program for students with disabilities (

Form D

)

Enrolment in Special Schools

• enrolment into a Special School will depend on a number of factors relating to student needs and available levels of support, taking into consideration:  curriculum, mobility, social skills, personal care & communication needs  supporting documentation from medical practitioners, health & education professionals

Enrolment in Special Schools

 specialist nature of individualised programs requiring high frequency adjustments to ensure student access to curriculum and achievement of learning outcomes Behavioural support needs alone are not sufficient criteria for enrolment in a Special School.

Enrolment in Special Schools

• Principal of a Special School determines a student’s

eligibility

for enrolment at a State Special School by considering all criteria in

Form B: Criteria for Enrolment in Special Schools

to assess the student’s specific eligibility for enrolment  a student must meet all criteria to enrol in a Special School

Enrolment in Special Schools

• The criteria requires that a student:      be eligible to apply for enrolment at a Queensland school; has a diagnosis and / or specialist assessment that is verified, or is likely to be verified, as part of the EAP; have an intellectual impairment; require an individual program; and have a level of frequency and intensity of adjustments that is best provided in that Special School.

Enrolment in Special Schools

• these criteria will be used by the PA,ES to determine that the prospective student is a person with a disability and the Special School is able to cater for the educational needs of the prospective student • use of the criteria will ensure statewide consistency of Special School enrolments

Enrolment in Special Schools

If the student

does not

meet the requirements for consideration for enrolment the Special School Principal:  advises the parents and PA,ES that the student’s application to enrol is not supported  refers the parents to the PEO,SS to obtain information regarding other programs available for students with disabilities across the district

Enrolment in Special Schools

  If the student

does

meet the requirements for consideration for enrolment the Special School Principal: ensures the parent is made aware of the Department’s

Inclusive Education Policy

and is making a fully informed decision together with the parent applies for enrolment of the student and forwards to the PA,ES

Form C: Application for Special School Enrolment

Enrolment in Special Schools

Special School Principal:  refers application and documentation to PA,ES if student poses an unacceptable risk to the safety and wellbeing of members of the school community (

Refusal to Enrol – Risk to Safety and Wellbeing)

Enrolment in Special Schools

• upon confirmation by the PA,ES that

Form C

has been authorised (

Form E: Eligible Notice for Special School Enrolment

) the principal finalises the enrolment • upon confirmation by the PA,ES that

Form C

has not

been authorised (

Form F: Ineligible Notice for Special School Enrolment

principal provides the parent with referrals to local schools and/or PEO,SS regarding programs/services for students with disabilities across the district ) the

Children with Disabilities of Prep Eligible Age

Minister’s Statement Position endorsed on 25 August 2005 • From 2007, the Preparatory Year will be provided to all children with disabilities of eligible age through inclusion in their local Prep class wherever possible • Stand alone Prep Year programs will not be provided in Special schools or Early Special Education programs

Minister’s Statement

Prep aged children with significant high support needs, who are unable to be supported in their local Prep class, will continue to be eligible for the options of a highly specialised alternative program, for example, in appropriately coded Early Special Education programs provided at SEDU/Cs, SEU/Cs and Special Schools.

Options for Prep

• Full time Prep program – attendance at a state primary school • Combination of Prep program and individualised program – attendance at a state primary school and special education developmental unit/class • Full time Individualised program – attendance at a special education developmental unit/class or appropriately coded special school

Significant Educational Support Needs

Programs and services for children with a disability of prep eligible age will support those children whose impairment impacts significantly on their functioning to the extent that they require

frequent adjustments

and have

significant educational support needs

.

Principal – School with Prep Program

• Ensure parents are provided with an opportunity to meet with the Principal Education Officer, Student Services (PEO,SS) or delegate to discuss the range of programs and services for children with disabilities of Prep eligible age in the district • Principal seeks advice from the PEO,SS or delegate regarding the needs of the child and the range of services/programs that could be provided • Enrols child with a disability of Prep eligible age into the Prep program and completes

School Based Program Form D: Acceptance of Students with a Disability into a

Principal – School with Prep Program

• Principal faxes

Form D

to Principal Education Officer, Student Services (PEO,SS) to notify them of the child’s enrolment • If child is also attending an Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) Program, Principal faxes form to Principal of the school based ECI Program for their approval for the child to enrol • PLEASE NOTE: If the ECI Program is based at a Special School and then the PA,ES must approve enrolment

Principal – State Primary School with an Early Childhood Intervention Program

• Ensure parents are provided with an opportunity to meet with the Principal Education Officer, Student Services (PEO,SS) or delegate to discuss the range of programs and services for children with disabilities of Prep eligible age in the district • Principal seeks advice from the PEO,SS or delegate regarding the needs of the child and the range of services/programs that could be provided • Enrols child with a disability of Prep eligible age into the ECI Program and completes

Form D: Acceptance of Students with a Disability into a School Based Program

• Principal faxes

Form D

enrolment to PEO,SS to notify them of the child’s

Responsibilities of PEO,SS (or nominee where appropriate)

• discuss with parents available programs and services for students with disabilities across the district • complete

Form G: Programs and Services Options

when making referrals to appropriate school programs / services • attend, or send nominee to attend, enrolment meetings at Special Schools • endorse transport assistance requests • provides advice and supports principals in enrolment processes for students with disabilities

Responsibilities of PA,ES

• consider and approve transport assistance requests • decide if a student is eligible to enrol in a Special School and complete necessary forms (

E or F)

• support principals in enrolment processes for students with disabilities

Responsibilities of EDS

• forward applications for enrolment referred by principals concerned about students who pose a potential unacceptable risk to the AD-G, Student Services • review decisions against ineligible Special School enrolment (

Form F

) and notify outcome of reviews (

Form I

) • consider applications for enrolment at Special Schools for students with special considerations

Glossary of Terms

Current Terminology

Placement Program Service Coding Early Special Education Modifications Alternative Program

New Terminology

Enrolment and access to a program or service Program Classroom teacher plus … Specialised programs Early Childhood Intervention Program – Prep Early Childhood Intervention Program – Pre-Prep Adjustments High frequency of adjustments