The Special Education Grant: A Parent and Practitioner View of SE2000 Policy

Abstract

The Special Education 2000 policy package (SE2000), introduced by the last National Government in 1996 and taken forward by the Coalition Government, makes provision for a Special Education Grant (SEG) to cater for children with moderate Special Education Needs (SEN). The policy is still in the process of being implemented, but questions are being raised as to whether it enables schools to best meet the needs of those students with moderate SEN, when this funding is also being used for those with high ongoing needs who are not eligible for other SE2000 interventions such as the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS). Conclusions reached in this review suggest that the SEG poses difficulties for school communities in resourcing children with SEN equitably, because the policy allows different interpretations by stakeholders, both with regard to the identification of the target population and the use of the funding obtained.