The low level adjustment for disability equity loading comprises an allocation base determined by revised school enrolments and a supplementary allocation based on student need.

The 2020 flexible funding allocation appears on the report and will be updated in the 2021 SBAR Adjustments. Further advice will be provided to schools early in Term 4 2020.

The learning and support teacher allocation is for 3 years – 2018-2020 – and has been extended for 2021.

Staff entitlement included in the low level adjustment for disability loading is funded from the loading and is not in addition to the loading.

Your school’s Strategic Improvement Plan (SIP) must show your school community how the school will meet student needs and improve the learning outcomes for all students. Funding contributions toward each activity need to be reviewed regularly to ensure they are effective and achieving desired outcomes. Accountability for the effective use of the funds to improve student learning occurs through your school’s SIP and Annual Report.

The funding your school receives should be expended in the calendar year in which it is received. The funds have been allocated for the current year’s cohort of students and are provided to support their learning and wellbeing needs.

This loading supports schools to meet their obligations to students under the Commonwealth Disability Standards for Education, 2005. The funding can be used for additional teacher or school learning support officer (SLSO) time as well as teacher release, for example, for related professional learning and program coordination. SLSOs must have a minimum period of employment of an unbroken 2 hours.

Examples of effective use of the allocation include:

• engaging specialist staff to collaborate with classroom teachers to build capacity in meeting the literacy needs of identified students
• engaging a learning and support teacher to work with individual students and in a case management role within the classroom
• providing support for targeted students through the employment of trained SLSOs
• developing and sustaining a needs-based learning and support program in which specialist staff collaborate with classroom teachers to build capacity in meeting the literacy needs of identified students
• employing a learning and support teacher to work with individual students and in a case management role within the classroom to build teacher capacity to meet the needs of all learners
• engaging experts from a variety of sources to provide targeted professional learning for staff across Community of Schools to building staff capacity.