Specialist School Activity Boost (Reference 147)
The Specialist School Activity Boost provides funding to specialist schools (with students with disability as their focus) and Supported Inclusion Schools to support them with the cost of delivering activities such as arts, sports, cultural and social programs to their students.
Activities play an important role in supporting students with disability to learn and thrive at school, by boosting learning engagement and motivation, as well as building a sense of connection with friends, teachers and their community. However, specialist schools and Supported Inclusion Schools can face higher costs in making these experiences available to their students due to factors such as higher teacher to student ratios and use of specialised equipment in delivering activities. The Specialist School Activity Boost will provide these schools with additional financial resources to help them run these important activities for their students.
Funds may be used, for example:
- engaging external organisations to deliver targeted arts, sports, cultural or social programs for students conducting other similar activities
- for student attendance at camps
- establishing partnerships with local sports clubs (for example, local bowling club) to deliver activities for students
- purchasing resources or equipment to establish regular in-school access to activities (for example, giant 10-pin bowling equipment)
- developing targeted sports, arts, cultural and social experiences to be delivered by staff in-school
- for CRT costs to release school staff to deliver activities
- for ancillary costs, such as transport to attend externally provided activities.
Further detail on suggested activities to be undertaken is detailed on PAL.
Funds cannot be used for:
- salary for members of school staff
- staffing costs for covering time in lieu associated with delivery of activities
- items not related to delivering activities to students.
Funding will be distributed as a cash payment through the Student Resource Package.
Eligibility
All specialist schools (with students with disability as their focus) and Supported Inclusion Schools will receive this funding. This does not include the following Parkville or hospital schools.
| School number | Campus number | School name |
|---|---|---|
| 8916 | 5 | Parkville College |
| 8916 | 1 | Parkville College |
| 3552 | 6 | Yarra Me School |
| 3605 | 1 | The Austin School |
| 4465 | 1 | Travancore School |
| 6363 | 1 | Avenues Education |
| 8916 | 3 | Parkville College |
| 8916 | 4 | Parkville College |
Rates
All eligible schools will receive funding based on February census enrolment figures, as outlined below:
- $8,000 minimum (for schools with 1 to 50 students)
- $36,000 maximum (for schools with over 225 students).
Funding to schools in between the minimum and maximum is calculated at a rate of $160 per capita.
Supported Inclusion Schools are allocated funds based on 10% of their total enrolment to deliver activities that are inclusive and support the participation of students with disability.
Accountability
Expenditure should be allocated in CASES21 to the code: 5103 – Specialist School Activity Boost.
Reviewed 27 March 2024