5 Clearer role descriptions and targeted training for Education Support staff would lead to better outcomes for students with disabilities. 8 Provide guidance in relation to the role (including the extent to which they are used) and training requirements for Education Support staff to optimise the use of this key resource and better influence academic and behavioural outcomes of students with disabilities. 6 Principals and teachers are not consistently aware of how and when to most effectively use and support Education Support staff in the classroom and as part of a broader collaborative student support structure. 7 Multi-disciplinary teams are needed to support strength-based and approaches that apply to all children and young people in educational contexts, including evidence-based intervention responses to meet the needs of individuals with additional needs. 9 Develop a new collaborative approach to support all students with disabilities, which considers Team Around the Learner and Response to Intervention models. 8 The existing approach to Individual Learning Plans is inconsistent, cumbersome and fails to adequately record the progress of individual students. This is, at least in part, due to the lack of systemic guidelines on their use and how the progress of students with Individual Learning Plans should be measured. 10 Develop guidelines on personalised learning and support planning to assist schools with early identification of, and response to, students with disabilities. These guidelines should consider strength- based, person-centred approaches to maximise learning outcomes and the engagement and wellbeing of students with disabilities in schools. The guidelines should set out a process to plan and monitor achievement, engagement and wellbeing outcomes for the individual. 11 Develop and trial a new personalised tool that identifies strengths and functional needs for all students with disabilities. 9 There is a lack of accountability and transparency for outcomes for all students with disabilities, including those students supported under the PSD and for the use of targeted PSD funding provided to schools. 12 Develop and implement a stronger system of accountability for outcomes for all students with disabilities that includes improved data quality and data collection, analysis of data, and reporting and transparency. For students this would include measures for achievement,
PSD Review external in-person stakeholder consultations The Review conducted 24 consultations with a range of stakeholders, as displayed in Table 6. Table 11: Stakeholder participation in PSD review in-person consultations Organisation Description Meeting date AMAZE AMAZE is a member-based, not-for-profit organisation and is the peak organisation for autism in Victoria. Monday 3 August 2015 Association for Children with a Disability Association for Children with a Disability provides advocacy and information services for children with any type of a disability and their families living in Victoria. Wednesday 29 July 2015 Australian Association of Special Education Australian Association of Special Education provides advocacy and a range of services to ensure provision of and access to quality education services for people with special needs. Tuesday 4 August 2015 Australian Education Union The Australian Education Union represents over 180,000 members (teachers, allied professionals, principals and administration staff) industrially and professionally. Monday 27 July 2015 Australian Principals Federation Australian Principals Federation represents state Primary and Secondary Principals and Assistant Principals in the industrial arena in Victoria and Western Australia. Monday 27 July 2015 Children with Disability Australia Children with Disability Australia is the national peak body representing children and young people (aged 0–25) with a disability. Wednesday 29 July 2015 Communication Rights Australia Communication Rights Australia is an advocacy and information service for people with little or no speech. Monday 17 August 2015 Community and Public Sector Union The Community and Public Sector Union covers members in state government and related employment, and has around 100,000 members defending the public sector (VPS/Allied Health school and regional employees) and the essential services it provides to the community. Tuesday 28 July 2015 Deaf Children Australia Deaf Children Australia’s purpose is to remove barriers to the personal development and social inclusion of children and young people who are deaf. Monday 3 August 2015 Down Syndrome Victoria Down Syndrome Victoria is the statewide peak membership organisation representing people with Down Syndrome and their families. Thursday 3 September 2015 Leadership Plus Leadership Plus is an innovator in —focusing on, , , Friday 14 August 2015 National Association of Australian Teachers of the Deaf Victoria The National Association of Australian Teachers of the Deaf Victoria currently represents over 300 teachers of the Deaf throughout Australia and potentially includes all teachers of the Deaf within Australia. Tuesday 28 July 2015 Parents Victoria Parents Victoria is a statewide democratic organisation representing parents of students in Victorian government schools. Thursday 30 July 2015 Principals' Association of The professional body for the principals of the 81 specialist Victorian government schools that have over Thursday 23 July 2015