10. Hon TREVOR MALLARD (Labour—Hutt South) Link to this
to the Associate Minister of Education
Which reductions within the appropriations in Vote Education in the 2009-10 Budget will adversely affect students with special needs, and what input did she have into those decisions?
Hon HEATHER ROY (Associate Minister of Education) Link to this
Some year-by-year appropriations that affect a small group of students with special needs will not be continued. However, this has been more than offset by additional funding that is being provided in other relevant programmes for students with special education needs. I have been consulted as part of the process of developing these decisions.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
Does the Minister support the cutting of support to the most physically disabled children; if so, why?
As I said in the answer to the primary question, a small group of students with special needs will not have their programmes continued, but this has been more than offset by the increase in funding provided to the Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme.
Aaron GilmoreWhat additional funding for students with special needs was allocated in the appropriations in Vote Education in the 2009-10 Budget?
From the 2009-10 financial year to the 2011-12 financial year this Government will spend an additional $51 million on the Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme, and an additional $10.7 million on the School High Health Needs Fund. By contrast, the previous Labour-led Government only increased the Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme funding by $14 million from the 2004-05 to the 2007-08 year. This increase was spent on alleviating cost pressures only, and did not fund one extra student.
David GarrettWhat input does the Associate Minister currently have into ensuring that special education funding reaches as many students as possible?
As has already been shown in the 2009-10 Budget by an additional 1,100 Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme - funded students and an extra 250 special high-health needs - funded students, the Government is committed to ensuring there is more support for students with special education needs, and it has made special education a priority. That is why responsibility for special education has been delegated to me as an Associate Minister. The current way of supporting students with special education needs was developed in the mid-1990s. A lot has changed since then, and we need to be sure that the Government’s investment in special education is delivering positive outcomes for children and young people. I am responsible for conducting a review of special education. The review will examine how well special education is working and how it can be improved. The details of the review are being developed and will be publicly announced once they are finalised.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
Does the Minister stand by her blog post last Sunday supporting Gifted Awareness Week; if so, why?
Yes, I do. It is Gifted Awareness Week, and I hope the member is going take advantage of the many activities that are going on throughout the country. However, that question is completely irrelevant to the primary question; it is outside the scope of the appropriation that the member asked about in his primary question.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
In light of the Associate Minister’s answer giving her support to Gifted Awareness Week, did she support the 100 percent cut to teacher professional development in this area?
As I just outlined in the previous answer, this area is outside the scope of the appropriation that is being talked about.
Mr SPEAKERIn providing her previous answer the Associate Minister opened up a field of legitimate questioning. When a Minister gives an answer, members are able to question that answer. I invite the Associate Minister to reflect on that. I note the member who asked that question has not sought any further clarification of it, but I am alerting the Associate Minister to that point.
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Shall I put the question again, so that the Associate Minister has another chance to answer it?
Hon Trevor Mallard Link to this
Why, in light of her answer to my previous supplementary question, did the Associate Minister support a 100 percent cut to the teacher professional development budget for gifted and talented students?
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
Tēnā koe, Mr Speaker. Kia ora tātou. How will the 2009-10 Budget address inter-sectoral relationships in order to ensure that the services provided to children with special needs are effective, rather than overlapping, fragmented, or responsive to a crisis situation?
As already stated, the Budget allowed for an extra 1,100 Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme - funded students, and an extra 250 students to be funded under another scheme. By contrast, the Labour-led Government did not increase the funding for any students. The review that I talked about in an earlier answer will also address these questions. It gives us an opportunity to look at the most effective way to allocate special education funding in the future.
Te Ururoa Flavell Link to this
What funding is provided to enable the families of children with special needs to be able to support their children’s experiences at school?
In the 2009-10 Budget, the Government announced an additional $51 million would be spent on Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme - funded students. That allows an extra 1,100 students to be funded. An extra $10.7 million will go to the School High Health Needs Fund. That will fund an extra 250 students.