11. Question No. 11—Education (School Operations)TEANAU TUIONO (Green) to the Associate Minister of Education (School Operations)Question No. 11—Education (School Operations)11. TEANAU TUIONO (Green) to the Associate Minister of Education (School Operations): Is she confident that education is accessible for disabled and high-needs tamariki across Aotearoa?Hon JAN TINETTI (Associate Minister of Education (School Operations)): Our Government is committed to barrier-free access to education for all students but we know that there is work to do to address the fact that some students aren't getting the right support they need when they need it. This is why in October we announced a review into the support for students who are considered the highest needs for learning support intervention. This review will ensure that the tamariki of Aotearoa are receiving the education they deserve.Teanau Tuiono: What is her response to reports that on average tamariki are waiting 80 days to access an early intervention service and that one-third of Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS) funding applications are being rejected?Hon JAN TINETTI: Reducing the time that children wait for support continues to be a priority. The ministry has made progress with reducing wait times and there's been significant increases in funding since 2018 but more work is needed in this area and we do need to look at different ways that we can reduce those wait times by working with whānau in a variety of different ways. What I would say for those people who are waiting or putting in ORS funding applications: these are the sorts of stories and the sorts of experiences that I want people to be able to tell in the high-needs review so I ask and plead with those people who have had those experiences to please tell those stories to the high-needs reviews. I will also say that the wait times are in scope of the high-needs review.Teanau Tuiono: Does she think learning support is adequately funded when parents are often paying for teacher-aides out of pocket or are making large donations so their tamariki can have support?Hon JAN TINETTI: Teacher-aides are incredible and do an amazing job of supporting our learners who have the highest needs within our schooling system and conversations regarding funding mechanisms for teacher-aides are ongoing.Teanau Tuiono: Does she agree that a dedicated learning support coordinator or Special Education Needs Coordinator in every school and early childhood education centre would make schools more accessible for disabled tamariki and if not why not?Hon JAN TINETTI: We currently have evaluations that are in place around learning support coordinators that were implemented by this Government into about 620 630 schools in this country. So we are waiting to see the final of that evaluation coming through. What I am very aware of is that I don't want to see a system that is bits and pieces here and there. One of the issues that we have seen in this country is that we have had a system that is not joined up and does not adequately meet the needs of our young people. I am really looking forward to the third tranche of that evaluation coming through.Teanau Tuiono: What is she doing to increase the number of specialists such as psychologists physiotherapists and resource teachers to meet student need?Hon JAN TINETTI: Another group that are critically important for our tamariki in this country who have those high needs—and I was a principal under the last National Government where that funding for those people was frozen due to the staffing freeze at that time. I know how important those people are which is why this Government has put more funding in for those specialist people including Budget 2021 with the intensive wraparound service support that we were able to get funding for that saw more psychologists go into place. But clearly there is more work to do.Teanau Tuiono: Will she commit to ensuring that disabled children are not discriminated against in the education system and that all necessary steps are taken to ensure disabled children can thrive as learners in our schools?Hon JAN TINETTI: That is exactly the intent of the high-needs review. We need a system that is responsive to the needs of our learner. We need that system to be able to move around the child rather than the child having to change for the needs of the system. That is exactly what I want to hear coming through from that high-needs review.