A Matt Guy Liberals and Nationals Government will review and improve the Special Examination Arrangements for VCE students sitting their exams and SACs, under a new process dubbed ‘BOOT’D’.
The current system provides for a very narrow and limited bandwidth of support to students with disabilities and illnesses. Additionally, the process for parents to obtain health assessments to have special arrangements implemented, can cost thousands of dollars, leaving many parents simply unable to finance the necessary assessments.
Not only this, but there are many students whose learning disabilities are not accommodated within the current Special Examination Arrangement framework, leaving those students without adequate support.
This is all set to change with the announcement of the BOOT’D program. The program, which stands for Best Opportunity On The Day, will ensure that students who have an illness, learning disability or physical disability will truly have their opportunity to perform at their peak for all assessments throughout their VCE.
The BOOT’D program will:
Review the Special Examination Arrangements procedures with all relevant support and advocacy groups
Ensure that Allied Health professionals’ input is factored into developing special arrangements for students
Review the Derived Examination Score so that it is a better representation of a student’s potential final exam mark
Develop a system that is fair to all students so that students with health or learning difficulties can perform at their best on the day
Shadow Minister for Education, David Hodgett, said that he was delighted to be able to support students whose needs can sometimes be overlooked or not accommodated.
“I have received emails and documents from advocacy groups calling for changes to the Special Examination Arrangements process, so I am delighted to be announce the BOOT’D program.”
“Students need to be confident that no matter their illness or disability, the government will look after them in terms of exam and SAC support.”
David Hodgett MP
Shadow Minister for Education