Hon Heather Roy speech to launch the 'Review of Special Education: discussion document'; Evans Bay Intermediate, Wellington; Wednesday, February 3 2010.

Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

Evans Bay Intermediate Principal Wendy Esera, Board of Trustees representative Maurice Van Voornveld, Kimi Ora Principal Don Stevens, teachers, students, ladies and gentlemen.  Good morning and thank you for your warm welcome.  I am delighted to be here today.

One of the things I enjoy most as Associate Minister of Education is visiting schools, and talking with students and teachers.  It's great to be here on the first day of the new school year.

I am responsible for the Special Education area of the Education portfolio and I am especially pleased to be at Evans Bay Intermediate today to open consultation on the Review of Special Education.

I know you're looking forward to the opening of a satellite unit of Kimi Ora School on the Evans Bay Intermediate grounds.  I would especially like to congratulate your Board of Trustees and principal Wendy Esera.  They have gone to great lengths to ensure the unit will be well-integrated with the school, while also providing an excellent programme for students with very high special education needs.  I know that the Kimi Ora students will be made to feel very welcome here.

This new arrangement means the facilities in the eastern suburbs of Wellington and beyond will present a great range of options for special needs students from the Kimi Ora Satellite Unit to the mainstream units at Rongotai and Wellington East Girls' Colleges, and Miramar Central School - as well as the mainstream settings options across all schools.

This is a great example of how we can make good use of the specialist resources that are needed by students with special education needs in a regular school setting.  How to provide this kind of choice about where students go to school, and the efficient use of resources, are the types of issues I want people to think about during the consultation that I am launching this morning. 

Going to school is about learning - and it's also about having fun, playing sport, participating in arts and culture activities, and making friends.  We all want these things and I want to know how you think we can make that a reality for everyone -especially for those who need extra help for whatever reason.

That is why I am launching the discussion document for the Review of Special Education.

Last August I announced the Review's Terms of Reference, and the Government is now ready to consult with the community about what the future of special education in New Zealand should look like.

There have been positive changes to the way students with special education needs have been supported over the past two decades.

Students who need extra assistance to learn are no longer tucked away; nor are they expected to simply fit into the school environment.  Today, we expect schools to adapt to fit the needs of all students - whatever those needs may be.  Added to that, parents and caregivers have a right to choose which local school their child attends.

All students - including those with disabilities - have the same aspirations and rights.  This means everyone should have the same opportunities to participate and to succeed at school.

While many parts of the education system work very well to support students with special education needs, there is still more to do including work with attitudes.  I believe we can do better and that is why I am undertaking this Review.

In particular I want to examine what is required to build the capability of the broader education system - not just the 'special education' part.  This is important because students with special education needs have the same needs as other students - what is special is the level, intensity, and type of support they need.

A student may have a physical impairment, a learning disability, hearing or vision difficulties.  They may struggle with learning, communication, or getting along with others.  And sometimes it's not obvious that they need extra help.

Education is not 'one size fits all', and especially not special education in New Zealand.  That means we need schools to be adaptable and capable, and services to be flexible and efficient.

The discussion document being launched today proposes a vision for how special education services and support could work in the future, and seeks feedback from everyone who has an interest in special education on ways to achieve it.

This Government is committed to supporting students with special education needs.  We spend over $450 million a year on special education programmes and have made an additional $51 million available over the next four years to support students with the highest special education needs.  Feedback from this review will, among other things, inform the Government's thinking about the best way to use this funding.

But it's not all about money.  The reality of the current economic climate means we must look at how we can do things better with what we have.  We also know that - within current budgets - many schools, their students and parent community successfully welcome and support all students.

I know that some schools are reluctant to welcome students with special education needs - I want to know how to help all schools and teachers feel confident to successfully teach and include every student.

There is a wide range of perspectives on what will work best for special needs students and their parents or caregivers.  Whatever changes may come from the review, I want parents to have choices.  I want schools and the dedicated people who are part of special education to work together in the most effective and efficient ways possible.

Students with special needs and their families and whanau often have contact with multiple agencies. Not surprisingly, this can result in stress, gaps in service delivery, and duplication of effort.  We need families and whanau to tell us how services could be better co-ordinated and focused on the needs of their child.  This way we can improve how Government agencies work together and with schools and NGOs.

We want to know how better support can be provided when students transition from Early Childhood Education into school, between and within different levels of schooling, or when students leave school.  These transitions can be very difficult times for students - especially those with special education needs - and their families if not managed effectively.

Students with special education needs and their schools receive services and resources over and above those provided for every student to learn.  We need to be smart in the way we allocate funding to ensure we get the most value from it.  We also want to be sure that funding is allocated fairly and efficiently.
 
Finally, one of the most important ways we can improve outcomes for students is to improve the quality of services and accountability across schools and specialist services throughout New Zealand.   Services should be of high quality no matter where you live - whether that is in Auckland, Wellington or a small rural area.

To ensure quality services we ask you to consider how to increase accountability so parents and caregivers, along with Government, have a better sense of what students are achieving and what further changes we need to be certain that the system works for all students.

Children and young people with special education needs are the students who require the most support in order to learn.  This Review is about working out how we provide that support in the future so all students have the opportunity to leave school with the skills they need to reach their potential.

The challenge in front of us is to make sure the education system is responsive, effective and flexible.
 
I urge everyone with an interest in special education to visit the Ministry of Education website for a copy of the discussion document and to provide their feedback by Friday March 19 2010. 

Together we can make changes to ensure that all students can participate at school and achieve in the community.  If we can provide the right support for students with special education needs, everyone will benefit.

Thank you and I wish you all the best for the school year ahead.