Program for Students with Disabilities Levels 1–6 (Reference 15)
The Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) is a targeted supplementary funding program for Victorian government schools. It provides resources to schools for a defined population of students with disabilities, with high needs, to support the provision of school-based educational programs.
Schools receive funding for students with current eligibility at one of six levels, informed by the responses provided to the Educational Needs Questionnaire.
Use of funding
Resources provided to the school can be used in a number of ways to support students, including:
- teaching staff
- specialist staff (for example, Special Needs Coordinator, occupational therapist, speech pathologists)
- consultancy or professional development
- specialist equipment or materials
- education support staff
- associated payroll tax
- superannuation.
PSD resources assist schools to meet their obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 ; they do not define or limit the support provided by a school for a student with a disability.
The Student Support Group is the primary source of advice to the principal on the personalised learning and support required. Schools are required to establish Student Support Groups for all students supported under the PSD, refer to Student Support Groups.
It is the responsibility of the school, in consultation with parents/carers in the Student Support Group, to determine the specific nature of the support required, and schools are required to consider their total budget in supporting a student with a disability.
Program for Students with Disabilities funding allocations will be progressively replaced by Disability Inclusion funding as it is introduced during the staged 5-year roll-out schedule between 2021 to 2025.
Eligibility
Schools with the following campus types will receive Program for Students with Disabilities funding at school level for eligible students.
- Primary
- Secondary
- Primary/Secondary Combined
- Special
- Language
- Community
All campus types belonging to Special schools type are eligible. Special development campuses of mainstream schools are also eligible.
Funding is calculated for each of the 4 school terms and allocated through credit funding.
Calculation details
PSD resources are allocated according to enrolment information provided by schools via the Program for Students with Disabilities Management System prior to budget-critical dates early each term.
For students in specialist schools, enrolment eligibility and regional approval needs to be established.
Where enrolment details are not correct in CASES21, or enrolments are not registered in PSDMS prior to budget critical dates each term, or (for specialist schools) regionally approved, Program for Students with Disabilities funding cannot be guaranteed.
Principals must ensure all students eligible for the PSD are listed on PSDMS prior to these critical dates. Enrolment details for new students, or current students not listed on PSDMS, must be promptly uploaded from CASES21 and registered in PSDMS, see .
Where a student transfers during the school year, resources remaining for the year will be adjusted and made available to the new school from the commencement of the next school term (pending enrolment registration on PSDMS). The Student Resource Package (SRP) is revised at the end of each term to capture these changes.
Schools should make local arrangements to transfer resources for enrolment changes occurring during term.
Where agreement has been reached that a student is enrolled and attends two schools, the allocation will be provided on a pro-rata basis consistent with the enrolment details contained in CASES21 and registered on PSDMS.
Rates – 2024
- Level 1: $8,589
- Level 2: $19,863
- Level 3: $31,355
- Level 4: $42,793
- Level 5: $54,144
- Level 6: $65,557
Example
A school with 5 Level 3 Equivalent Full Time (EFT) would calculate their funding as:
Level 3 EFT (5) × Level 3 rate
This calculation is repeated for all EFT levels at the school.
Levels of funding are determined in accordance with PSD eligibility criteria, which are set out in the PSD Guidelines for Schools below.
Important items to note:
- The Indicative SRP is based on PSD application and enrolment information as at Term 3 the year prior. Allocations are updated in the Confirmed SRP, capturing enrolment and application changes that occur between Term 3 and Term 1.
- PSD allocations should be reviewed termly in PSDMS (Resource Allocation Listing) and the SRP (Budget Details report), and any questions can be logged via the DET Services Portal. Reconciliation requests can only be considered on a one-term basis. Requests for budget adjustments will not be considered beyond the previous term.
Further information
Reviewed 26 March 2024