WA Education Minister, Sabine Winton, has released the final report of the review of the School Education Act 1999 (WA), saying the Government’s response will strengthen legislation and policy to ensure students with disability have more equitable access to quality education.
The Minister said the Department of Education has been tasked with establishing a dedicated disability reform unit to drive the work arising from the review.
To support this work, the Department of Education will immediately assess training and support for public school staff who work with students with disability, to identify opportunities to strengthen practice, she said.
“It has been important to carefully consider the review’s recommendations in the context of broader disability reform happening at both State and national levels,” said Minister Winton.
“We will prioritise changes that lead to the most timely and effective outcomes for students with disability and their families.”
The review identified a number of barriers for students with disability in the WA education system.
The Minister said the Government’s response identifies important first steps to be taken as part of a long-term disability reform plan for the State’s education system.
These include:
- aligning the definition of ‘disability’ in the Act with the social model of disability;
- changing the Act to enable the formation of a single panel to consider a student with disability’s context holistically in discipline-related matters;
- undertaking a review of enrolment-related regulations, policies, procedures, and guidance to ensure all students are treated fairly in relation to enrolment; and
- developing a framework to guide equitable access to quality education for students with disability, including relevant definitions, principles, and objectives that will empower all students to learn, participate, and thrive.
The non-government school sector will be engaged by the State Government in relation to their implementation of the review’s recommendations. This work will include reviewing the registration standards for non-government schools to support implementation.
There will also be close consultation with school staff and key stakeholders to ensure that any actions lead to meaningful and manageable change for schools, in the context of their workload.
The review, commissioned by the Cook Government in December 2023, was led by an expert panel chaired by Deputy Director (research) Professor Andrew Whitehouse and Professor of Autism research Angela Wright Bennett at The Kids Research Institute Australia, as well as the DevelopmentalDisability WA Advisory Council.
“I would like to thank Professor Whitehouse, the expert panel, and the individuals who contributed to the review by sharing their experiences and expertise to support a more equitable education system in WA,” said Minister Winton.
“I look forward to continuing to progress this important work as part of a long-term disability reform plan for education in Western Australia.”
The expert panel undertook extensive consultation involving advocacy groups, people with lived experience of disability, and the public.
More than 200 formal submissions were received, in addition to 30 State-wide public consultation and information sessions.
The full report and government response is now available on the Department of Education website.
