Leading Teacher Update

Disability Inclusion Funding

FPS is now receiving Disability Inclusion funding, which is government funding provided to Victorian government schools. This subsidy has enabled the school to employ our three Wellbeing Leading Teachers – Grace, Cathy and Prue. The Disability Inclusion (DI) funding model also provides for students who require frequent substantial and extensive adjustments. Many of you may be thinking, what does that mean for my child, are they eligible for additional support, and how do we go about getting it?

The Disability Inclusion funding model has three tiers of funding and support, based on the level of need and the adjustments required to support a student’s learning and participation at school. 

• Tier 1: Universal funding to meet the needs of all students, including the development of the FPS SWPB approach.
• Tier 2: Additional school level funding. This includes Wellbeing Leaders, tutoring program, staff professional development, sensory tools for the classroom, etc.
• Tier 3: Personalised student funding, where Educational Support Staff are employed  to work alongside a student. Students need to meet the Tier 3 criteria described below. 
  • Note: Disability Inclusion is replacing the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) funding. If your child is part of the Program for Students with Disability (PSD), they will continue to get support from school whilst Disability Inclusion is introduced.

Who qualifies for Tier 3 personal funding?

A diagnosis of ADHD, ASD, or any language disorder, does not automatically qualify a child for DI funding. In order for students to qualify for Tier 3 funding there needs to be eight or more substantial or extensive adjustments for the student to access their learning in six key areas; learning and applying knowledge, general tasks and demands, communication, self-care, interpersonal skills, and mobility. 

What is considered an ‘adjustment’? 

There are four levels of adjustments that are put in place to increase a students ability to access their learning and maximise their participation.

1. Differentiated

This student is enabled to participate on the same basis as a student without a disability. For example, personalised learning that does not draw on additional resources, responding to students' learning differences, management of asthma, access to fidget toys, and adaptive equipment.

2. Supplementary

Adjustments occur for particular activities at specific times throughout the week. These are required when there is an assessed need to complement the strategies and resources already available. For example, modified instruction – where tasks broken up into manageable chunks, extra time is given to complete tasks, course materials in accessible forms,  intermittent specialist teacher support, social stories and visual cues.

3. Substantial

Considerable adult assistance. Adjustments to the usual educational program occur at most times on most days. Adjustments are provided to address the specific nature and significant impact of the student’s functional needs. For example, frequent 1:1 teacher instruction, adapted assessment tasks with significantly adjusted content, assistive technology for writing, multimodal presentation of learning tasks, frequent assistant with mobility, close playground support, visual schedules with step-by-step instruction and specialist advice on a regular basis.

4. Extensive

Extensive targeted adjustments and sustained levels of intensive support at all times. These are highly individualised, comprehensive and ongoing. For example, intensive 1:1 support, highly individualised instruction, constant vigilant support, full assistance to eat and drink, full toileting assistance, and records of extensive specialist support and recommendations.

Who do I speak to if I would like more information about DI funding? 

Our Wellbeing Leaders (Cathy, Grace and Prue) would be best placed to answer questions you have regarding the criteria for DI funding.

~ Nicole Rettke, Assistant Principal