Open letter on cuts to Disability Inclusion funding in Victorian schools

Amaze has joined disability, education and community organisations in an open letter to the Victorian Government. The letter calls on the government to reverse the changes, or at the very least, to pause the decision and fully fund schools for 2027. Many Autistic students rely on Disability Inclusion for support at school, so these changes are a real concern for us and the families we support.

We know this is another challenging piece of news to hear, particularly after years of speculation and changes to the NDIS. We want you to know that we are very disappointed with the funding cuts and are sharing this disappointment with the Victorian Government at senior levels.

What’s changing

Around 45,000 Victorian students currently receive support through Disability Inclusion. The planned changes include:

• funding reduced by $850 per term for around 23,000 students in mainstream schools
• a 2.5 per cent reduction in student-level funding rates, affecting all schools.

We estimate these changes will mean 6,000 to 7,000 students no longer receiving individual funding over the next two years.

Every student’s situation is different. If you are concerned about your child’s funding, the best place to start is a conversation with your school.

Read the open letter (PDF)

What Victorian families can do

Raise it at your next Student Support Group meeting. Ask your school whether the changes may affect your child and what support will look like next year.

Keep working with your school. Principals and teachers aren’t making these decisions, and a strong relationship with your school will help your child through any changes.

Add your voice, if you’d like to. You can sign the Australian Education Union’s community petition.

Need to talk it through?

Autism Connect is our free, independent autism helpline. We can help you prepare for a school meeting or answer your questions. Call us on 1300 308 699, or via email or webchat.