The review, to be conducted by Urbis, will evaluate how the current policies, processes and systems are supporting the increased proportion and number of students applying for disability provisions.
NESA receives some 10,000 applications for HSC Disability Provisions annually, with applications growing year on year. Since 2020 applications have increased by 45%.
The evaluator will examine key concerns that parents, teachers and disability education groups have raised and deliver recommendations relating to current and emerging issues including:
- The process, time and resources involved for teachers, schools and parents in obtaining or not obtaining provisions.
- NESA's evidence guidelines and requirements.
- Whether all students with disability needing provisions are applying for and getting appropriate provisions
- The differences between school-based and external HSC exam-based provisions.
- The appropriate balance between Principal and NESA-approved provisions.
Consistent with Recommendation 21 of the NSW Parliamentary Inquiry into Children and young people with disability in NSW educational settings, the review will consider streamlining the process for schools applying to NESA for and the granting of provisions.
Key stakeholders across the education, health, and disability sectors will be engaged in targeted consultation sessions from now through 2025. Designed to be inclusive, it will also build on evidence gathered previously to avoid ‘consultation burnout’ in the community.
Past HSC students who have utilised the program, as well as their parents and carers, will also be invited to provide their feedback and insights.
NESA will present the final report findings to the Deputy Premier and Minister for Education later in 2025 for implementation in the 2026 HSC.
The Terms of Reference for the review can be found here.
CEO of the NSW Education Standards Authority Paul Martin said:
“It is essential that young people have access to systems that support them doing their best in their education.
“While the current Disability Provisions program features a number of strengths that ensure students have equitable access to exams, we acknowledge concerns raised by stakeholders and will seek to identify improvements.
“The HSC exams are a major milestone in a young person’s life and we want support mechanisms in place that are simple for students, schools and families to access, while maintaining the integrity of the country’s largest public exam.
“It is a priority for NESA that students with disability have access to appropriate provisions to participate in the HSC on the same basis as their classmates.”
