The Victorian Government has announced a $2.2 billion investment aimed at strengthening disability support across public schools, as part of what it describes as the most extensive set of reforms in the state’s education system for students with disability.
Outlined in the 2026–27 Victorian Budget, the funding is intended to support students who require additional assistance to fully participate in school life, amid growing enrolments and increasingly complex needs across the system.
The package will be distributed across schools to improve accessibility, expand staffing and strengthen teacher training focused on supporting students with disability. It also includes targeted support for students with high and complex needs, who often require more individualised assistance throughout their schooling.
A key feature of the program is the continued rollout of Inclusion Outreach Coaches, based in specialist schools and working with mainstream schools to provide guidance to teachers and leadership teams. The state government says the approach is already showing results, with a 2025 survey indicating 66 per cent of respondents reporting a positive shift in school inclusion practices.
Disability Inclusion funding is now available to every public school in Victoria, forming part of a broader system designed to adjust support based on student needs rather than fixed allocations.
Alongside classroom-based support, the budget also sets aside $39 million to improve transport services for students attending specialist schools. The funding will support existing bus routes for around 60 per cent of students in specialist settings, help manage rising operational costs such as fuel, and replace older vehicles with newer buses. Additional routes are planned from 2027 as demand increases.
Another $23 million has been allocated to provide free, high-intensity outside school hours care at 31 specialist schools. The program is expected to support hundreds of families by offering extended care options during working hours at no cost.
Premier Jacinta Allan said the investment is aimed at ensuring students with disability can access education support closer to home. Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll said families should be able to choose between inclusive local schools and specialist settings, and pointed to the government’s continued investment in disability education services.
Minister for Disability Lizzie Blandthorn said the funding reflects the needs of Victorians living with disability, noting that one in five people in the state identify as having a disability.
The reforms come as education systems across Australia continue to adjust to rising demand for tailored learning support, with governments focusing on both in-school resources and wider services such as transport and out-of-hours care.
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