Improved learning support for kids with disabilities considered by Audit Office

The Audit Office is investigating how to improve learning support for children with disabilities.

It is also considering looking at the school-readinesss of five-year-olds, and the effectiveness of attendance improvement efforts.

The topics were included in the office's work plan for the coming financial year, which was published today.

The plan said the office had already started work on an inquiry into value for money in learning support.

"The learning support system receives nearly $1.5 billion each year. We are carrying out work focused on how the Ministry can improve its management of learning support and demonstrate better value," it said.

It expected to complete its work in September this year.

The plan included two potential education topics for investigation.

It said one was whether the education system adequately prepared students for entry to primary school.

"There is currently no measure of the school-readiness of children as they enter primary education, making it difficult to assess the value of early childhood education spending and understand why some children struggle to transition into schooling," the plan said.

"We are interested in helping the Ministry of Education develop better system performance measures to identify the school-readiness of children."

The other potential topic was the effectiveness of student engagement programmes.

"The government has many initiatives targeted at improving student engagement. They include providing school lunches, learning support, anti-bullying programmes, and school buses. The Education Review Office has reported on student attendance and identified several measures that the system should consider.

"We are interested in how effective these initiatives are, separately and jointly, at increasing student engagement," it said.