Inclusion Support Assistance and Breakfast Programs
WRITTEN QUESTIONS
9th Assembly
16/07/2004
136. Inclusion Support Assistance and Breakfast Programs
Mr Wood to MINISTER for Employment Education and Training
QUESTION1. The government has provided $250,000 for the Inclusion Support Assistance program. What is it?
2. The government has launched a pilot breakfast program –
- (a) which schools are getting the program;
(b) did last year’s allocation of $300 000 cover the full costs of the program;
(c) do individual schools contribute money; and
ANSWERAnswered on 09/09/2004
H:\EXEC\CLRK_ASS\Wqst9ass\Aqsts136.doc
1. The government has provided $250,000 for the Inclusion Support Assistance program. What is it?
ANSWER
The Inclusion Support Assistance (ISA) Funding Program began in 1997 as an initiative of the Commonwealth, supporting the Disability Discrimination Act. Responsibility for funding the program moved to the Northern Territory Government in 2000.
ISA is a program designed to support high needs students with disabilities attending mainstream government schools. Student Services Branch within the Department of Employment, Education and Training (DEET) administers the program.
Schools initiate an application for funding and forward it to Student Services. The applicationis assessed based on the disability and the level of classroom functioning of each student, as determined by appropriate specialists, and a level of financial support advised. Funding is then provided to the school on a semester basis within budget parameters.
For the period July to December 2003 a total of 552 students with an identified disability were enrolled in 94 government schools across the Territory and in receipt of ISA funding. Over this six month period ISA provided 126,616 funded hours for these 552 students, at a cost of $2,006,513.
As at February 2004 there were 495 students enrolled in 87 government schools and one non-government school across the Territory in receipt of ISA funding. This calculates to a first semester 2004 allocation of 113,164 funded hours at a cost of $1,916,275.
Government has increased the amount of funding available for this program in 2004 – 05 by $250,000.
2. The government has launched a pilot breakfast program –
(a) which schools are getting the program
(b) did last year’s allocation of $300,000 cover the full costs of the program
(c) do individual schools contribute money; and
(d) how much money has been allocated for the program in the 2004/05 budget.
ANSWER
a) The Pilot School Breakfast Program is managed by the Department of Health and Community Services, supported by the Department of Employment, Education and Training. It commenced operation in late 2003 and early 2004 in six remote schools across the Top End and Central Australia. Participating schools include: Alekarenge, Gunbalanya, Ngukurr, Papunya, Ramingining and the recently funded St Francis School at Nauiyi. In 2004/05 funding is available for the inclusion of one new school in the program. Negotiations are currently underway with Yuendumu CEC and it is hoped the program will commence in Term 4 2004.
b) The 2003/04 allocation of $310,000 covered the full costs of the program. This included start up costs, staffing and ongoing food costs.
c) Individual schools are not required to contribute money for this project.
d) $320,000 has been allocated for the 2004/05 financial year.
Last updated: 04 Aug 2016