Why is this a good outcome for disabled students?
- Many disabled students have not had an equitable opportunity to enjoy a meaningful education in New Zealand, and this settlement will start to fix that.
- Families expect to send their children with disabilities to their local school with their brothers, sisters, cousins, and neighbours and should receive the same quality of education. And that is what this settlement and Framework aims to achieve.
- Critically, this is progress for all disabled students that is based in recognition of their fundamental human right to education on an equal basis to their non-disabled peers.
- This is a strong starting point for long-term improvements to how the government supports disabled students. The goals are to promote better resourcing policies, initial and ongoing education for teachers, systems and support for schools, so they have what they need to support disabled students’ learning and participation in school life.
- Disability community representatives will monitor the Ministry of Education implementation of the Framework for Action and associated government work programme over the next six years.
What will this mean for a student, or their parent, who is currently struggling to get the education support they need?
- This will not result in a quick fix or immediate relief, but it will lead to positive changes over time to fix the problems experienced today. This settlement is a starting point for a long-term work programme that results in system-wide improvements.
- For families currently struggling, many organisations like IHC can provide advocacy support to help resolve current problems.
- IHC is confident that if successfully implemented, this plan will mean kids with disabilities can attend their local school with their brothers, sisters, cousins and neighbours and know they will receive what they need to learn and be included.
Why did IHC settle its litigation with the Crown/Government?
- We believe this is a great opportunity to start to fix inequalities that disabled students face in the education system.
- The government has agreed the education system isn’t working for disabled students and to a plan to start fix the problems.
How will this affect the curriculum?
- Curriculum is one element of IHC’s Framework for Action, which says that whatever is in the curriculum, it must be responsive to disabled and neurodiverse learners and for assessment of learning to factor in learning diversity.
- The current concerns about school curriculum issues need to be resolved between the experts in that area – teachers, schools, researchers and government.
What will this mean for teachers or schools?
- The agreement and Framework for Action include a focus on improved education and support for teachers and principals.
- That is in the agreement because teachers and principals have told IHC that current policies do not provide what they need to educate many disabled students.
- This will enable teachers and schools to do what they do best and teach all students in their schools.
What will happen to this in a change of government or policy?
- The Ministry of Education has signed up to implement IHC’s Framework for Action so they have an obligation to address this commitment with a new Minister of Education
- At IHC’s forum before the 2023 election all political parties acknowledged that the learning support system was broken and systemic change was needed.
- We anticipate that a different government would stand by their words and drive the system change work they have said is needed.
- IHC will engage with all political parties to help them understand and commit to the Framework for Action.
What input have teachers and principals had to this plan?
- The unions, associations and councils representing the education sector have contributed to and supported IHC’s campaign for education equity over several decades. There is widespread agreement that teachers and schools do not have enough support to their best for all disabled students.
- This settlement does not change what or how schools teach their students. It aims to help ensure the Ministry of Education provides the resources and specialist support necessary for them to welcome, include and teach all disabled students.
What is the stakeholder group’s role?
- As part of the settlement, Ministry of Education and IHC have agreed that a stakeholder group of six to eight members, which IHC will chair, will monitor the implementation of the Framework for Action.
- The agreement is to maintain the stakeholder group for at least six years.
- IHC will have two permanent members on the group. Other members will be chosen through an Expression of Interest process that is open for applications until 11 January 2026. The group will hold its first meeting in February 2026. See the Expression of Interest forms on the Ministry of Education website for more information about how to apply.
- The group will aim to include disabled people; tangata whaikaha Māori; whānau of disabled learners; disability education advocacy groups and a member from Pacific communities, all of whom will need relevant experience.
- The stakeholder group will have an advisory and monitoring function enhanced by the lived experience of members.
