Inclusive education is changing. Families have questions.

There have been significant changes in how students with disability and additional needs are supported in ACT public schools. The intent is positive: a more inclusive system where support is based on need, not diagnosis. 

But many families are telling us the reality feels less certain.

What’s changed? 

The ACT Government’s Inclusive Education and Disability Inclusion Strategy 2024–2034 is introducing a new adjustment-based funding model. 

This means: 

  • Schools will use the Student Adjustment Matrix (SAM) to identify and track the support students need  
  • Data from the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) will inform disability loading (additional funding to schools) 
  • The SCAN process will be phased out  

The Directorate has advised ACT Parents: 

“Schools will use the Adjustment Matrix as a common scaffold for tracking the reasonable adjustments provided to their students.” 

There is also a shift in how support is documented: 

“ILPs will continue to play an important role… for students who receive substantial or extensive adjustments.” 

For other students, adjustments may be captured through the SAM rather than a formal Individual Learning Plan. 

What families are experiencing 

We are hearing from parents and carers that some students who previously had Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) are now being told they no longer qualify, and instead will receive quality differentiated teaching or supplementary adjustments through a Student Adjustment Plan. 

Families are asking: 

  • How are these decisions being made?  
  • What information is being used?  
  • Who is involved in determining what support a student needs?  

These are fair and reasonable questions. 

The role of teacher judgement 

The new approach relies more heavily on the professional judgement of teachers and school leaders to determine the level of support a student requires. 

We know teachers are highly skilled professionals. We also know they are not clinicians. 

Teachers cannot diagnose, and interpreting student behaviour, particularly where needs are complex or not yet understood, can be challenging. This is especially true for students who are: 

  • awaiting a diagnosis, or  
  • currently undiagnosed  

Without the right information or input from specialists and families, there is a risk that some students may not receive the adjustments they need. 

Diagnosis still matters 

A key feature of the new model is that students do not need a formal diagnosis to receive support. This is often referred to as an imputed disability. 

In principle, this is a positive shift. 

In practice, families are telling us that diagnoses still play a critical role in helping: 

  • educators understand a student’s needs  
  • identify appropriate adjustments and strategies 
  • provide consistency in support  

Without that context, it can be difficult to get the right supports in place. 

Why collaboration matters 

One of the most consistent messages we hear from families is the importance of being involved. 

The previous SCAN process, while often stressful, created space for: 

  • parents and carers  
  • educators  
  • health professionals  

to come together and develop a shared understanding of a student’s needs. 

As the system changes, that collaboration must not be lost. 

The Directorate has acknowledged that: 

“Parent engagement will continue to be important when identifying reasonable adjustments for all students with disability.” 

For this to be meaningful, families need: 

  • transparency about what decisions are being made  
  • clarity about how those decisions are reached  
  • opportunities to contribute their knowledge of their child  

For ACT Parents, these are non-negotiable. 

Not a checklist, but a process 

The Student Adjustment Matrix can be a useful tool. But it should not become a checklist that replaces thoughtful, individualised planning. 

Finding the right adjustments is rarely straightforward. It often involves: 

  • trial and error  
  • ongoing communication  
  • adapting approaches over time  

Parents and carers are central to this process. They bring insight that cannot be captured in a matrix alone. 

Where to from here? 

We recognise that schools are managing complex demands, and that delivering every adjustment, every time, is not always possible. 

But families should be able to expect: 

  • a genuine effort to meet their child’s needs  
  • clear communication about what support is in place  
  • confidence that decisions are informed, consistent and fair  

Inclusive education only works when families are part of the process. 

We will continue to advocate for a system that is not only inclusive in intent, but consistent, transparent and responsive in practice. 

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