Special education

Within the Union, QTU Officers and the Special Education Committee oversee and monitor a range of special education issues including but not limited to:

Inclusive Education policy and its implementation
SWD staffing (RAR)
NCCD
NDIS
HOSES workload
Special schools and student transport
TRS days allocation for special schools
Relevant QTU policy and position statements.

The QTU Special Education Committee is a Standing Committee of the QTU which:

makes recommendations to QTU Conference or Council on appropriate policies for the QTU in the area of special education;
makes recommendations and provides advice to Executive and/or Council on any matters related to special education;
gives consideration to matters referred to it by members, Executive, Council, Conference, Branches and Area Councils;
receives and considers reports from QTU Representatives on outside bodies which have to do with special education and provides appropriate advice on these reports to Executive or Council.

A broad overview of the work of the Committee is provided in its annual report to the QTU State Council.

– 2022 SEC report

The QTU Special Education Committee consists of 15 members elected by QTU State Council plus a chair who is a member of the QTU Executive.

The Committee meets quarterly and if you have an issue or concern you wish the committee to consider, please provide the relevant information to services@qtu.asn.au.

Terms of office are for three-year periods (current term expires May 2023). Vacancies on the Committee are advertised in the Teachers’ Journal and on the QTU website and any financial member of the Union can nominate.

The Committee and the QTU take a broad view of what constitutes “special education” and the QTU defines students with special educational needs (the target population for the delivery of special education services) to be those students who are identified in the NCCD.

Current members of the QTU Special Education Committee:

Supported by Jeff Backen, QTU Assistant Secretary (services@qtu.asn.au)

Andrew Thompson

Principal of Redland District Special School Chair : Special Education Committee & member of the Education Leaders Committee Elected to QTU Executive in 2012.

Jenny McLeod

HOSES Biloela SS- SEP

Kellie Ryan

Support Teacher Allora P-10 State School

Jeff Backen

Committee Secretary QTU Assistant Secretary

Kate Kermode

Senior School Classroom Teacher Lee Street State Special School

Roselynne Anderson QTU Scholarship

Roselynne Anderson QTU Scholarship header.jpg

In August 2021, QTU Life Member, Roselynne Anderson passed away suddenly following an unexpected illness.

The QTU has introduced the Roselynne Anderson QTU Scholarship in 2022 and up to three members will be awarded up to $1500 to pursue further professional development, training or further tertiary education relevant to special education, school leadership or women in education.

Further information about the scholarship and the application form is available on the QTU website.

Special Education Network News

The Committee also maintains a “Special Education Network” members of which will receive a summary of issues considered by the Committee through the Special Education Network newsletter.Special Education Network Newsletters.

Join the Special Education network here