Prejudice top obstacle for special needs pupils: Hide

Rodney Hide with John Key. Photo / Martin Sykes

Schools are failing high-needs students because of "soft prejudices" and attitudes need to change, the Government says.

But the Labour Party says the main issue is resourcing and not attitudes, a view backed by more respondents to the Government review into the sector.

The review, Success for All - Every School, Every Child, has endorsed the present system, which puts special education students into special schools, special school satellites or regular schools with special units, depending on their needs.

Associate Education Minister Rodney Hide said the main problem in the sector was poor attitudes. Too many schools turned away children with special needs or did not include them in regular school activities because of prejudices.

"Half our schools aren't providing for kids with disabilities, it's shocking really ... and largely [the difference] is one of attitude.

"My job between now and the next election is to show in a positive way what is possible with these kids, and that we shouldn't have a prejudice against them in terms of what they can achieve and their impact on other students. Their impact is overwhelmingly positive.

"We expect state schools to be more accommodating. We don't expect a state school to say to a child, 'we don't think you'll fit in'."

His comments come despite the fact only 15 per cent of respondents said attitude change was the most important priority, compared with a third that wanted more funding and services for regular schools, and 22 per cent wanted more professional development.

Forty per cent supported keeping special schools, which the review looked at and considered scrapping.

The Government wants 80 per cent of schools to be fully inclusive of students with special needs by 2014.

It has allocated an additional $69 million over four years in the past two budgets, which will go towards funding 1100 more children for resourcing schemes and a further 1000 for specialist support in their first three years of school.

Special schools will also be encouraged to provide an outreach service to help support students with high needs in mainstream schools.

Labour Party special education spokesman Grant Robertson lauded the goal but questioned the method.

"The funding announcement is already two years old, and many parents and families are not getting the support they need.

"Attitude can only go so far, resourcing is still the big issue."

The Government spends about $460 million a year on special education, which caters for up to 100,000 students with moderate to very high needs.

REVIEW FINDINGS
* The review of special education supports the present system, including specialist schools for students with the high needs.

* The Government wants 80 per cent of schools to be fully inclusive of students with special needs by 2014.

* $69 million over four years towards funding 1100 more children for resourcing schemes and a further 1000 for specialist support in their first three school years.