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This bulletin explains unlawful discrimination and the steps schools must take to treat all students with a disability on an equal basis. Schools must support, consult, make reasonable adjustments and implement strategies to prevent harassment of people with disability. LIB60. This advice was last reviewed in February 2021.

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Purpose of this document

The department seeks to provide school environments free from unlawful discrimination, including disability discrimination. In meeting our commitment that every student is known, valued and cared for, our schools educate about discrimination, work to prevent unlawful discrimination, and deal with unlawful discrimination when required. The department’s inclusive education statement outlines its commitment to inclusion and all students accessing and fully participating in learning, supported by reasonable adjustments and teaching strategies tailored to meet their individual needs.

Key considerations for school leaders

• Direct discrimination means treating one person less favourably than another is, or would be, treated in comparable circumstances because of a protected attribute (see below).
• Indirect discrimination means imposing an unreasonable condition or requirement that applies to everyone but has the effect of disadvantaging someone because of a protected attribute.
• Protected attributes are characteristics or attributes prescribed by the law, such as disability, sex, sexuality, pregnancy, family responsibilities, race, ethno-religious origin, or age.

What is unlawful discrimination?

Discrimination means treating one person differently to another person. You can discriminate against another person even if you did not intend to do so. It is not always unlawful to do this. However, it is unlawful to discriminate if:

• it happens within an area of activity set out in the legislation, such as work, education, or in the provision of goods or services
• it happens because of a protected attribute .

Some of the most common issues relating to disability discrimination may arise when schools:

• refuse or discourage enrolment or impose conditions for enrolment because of a student's disability
• deny or limit access to any benefits (including, for example, school excursions and camps), because of a perception that the school is unable to accommodate a student’s disability
• suspend or expel a student with a disability.

Legislative framework

The NSW Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (ADA) contains provisions governing most areas of discrimination. A complaint under this Act can be made to the Anti-Discrimination Board, and can ultimately be heard by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which can make orders including for monetary damages. The Commonwealth framework includes four main pieces of legislation dealing with discrimination based on different protected attributes:

• Age Discrimination Act 2004
• Disability Discrimination Act 1992
• Racial Discrimination Act 1975
• Sex Discrimination Act 1984.

In addition, the Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986 (Cth) sets up the administrative framework for the making of complaints to the Australian Human Rights Commission, and ultimately for the complaints to be heard in the Federal Court or Federal Circuit Court.

Defining disability

The term 'disability' is very broadly defined in the legislation to cover physical, intellectual, and emotional impairments. It includes:

• loss of bodily or mental functions or a part of the body
• the presence in the body of organisms causing (or capable of causing) disease or illness
• malfunction, malformation or disfigurement of a part of the body
• a disorder or malfunction that results in a person learning differently
• a disorder, illness or disease that affects a person’s thought processes, perception of reality, emotions or judgment or that results in disturbed behaviour.

The definition extends to, for example, allergies, anxiety disorder, conduct disorder, depression, and expressive and receptive language disorders.

Preventing and addressing disability discrimination

In relation to students with disabilities, the department must:

• treat all students with a disability on an equal basis – that is, as compared to students without a disability (this does not necessarily mean treating them the same – be aware of indirect discrimination )
• consult with parents/carers, and where appropriate, students with disability, about the student’s needs and the adjustments that might be provided
• make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities and provide necessary support;
• develop and implement strategies to prevent harassment and victimisation of people with disability
• harassment means an action taken in relation to people with disability that is reasonably likely to humiliate, offend, intimidate or distress
• victimisation includes, for example, where a person subjects, or threatens to subject, another person to any detriment because that person has made, or proposes to make, a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission; and
• follow the applicable departmental policies, and keep a record of actions taken and the reasons for those actions.

A package of e-learning lessons on the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 , with a focus on the Standards, has been developed to provide professional learning for teachers. These lessons are highly recommended for all staff and are mandatory for all school leaders who are substantive, relieving or acting in the roles of Director Educational Leadership, Principal, Deputy Principal, Assistant Principal and Head Teacher.

Supporting students with disability in schools

Under the Disability Standards for Education 2005 (the Standards), all principals and teachers have legal obligations to ensure students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as other students. It is unlawful to contravene the Standards - they are formulated under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (DDA) and have the force of law. A failure to comply with the Standards can be the subject of a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission. The main obligations under the Standards are to facilitate the enrolment of students with disability, and enable their participation in education programs, on the same basis as students without disability. In addition to enrolment and participation, specific standards address curriculum development, student support services, and harassment and victimisation.

Consultation around disability

Consultation with a student or their ‘associate’ (usually their parent or carer) must occur in order to understand the impact of a student's disability and to determine whether any adjustments or changes are needed to assist the student. Depending on the circumstances, this may include talking about:

• the student’s needs and the type of assistance that may be needed
• the adjustments that could be made by the department to meet the student’s needs and whether these adjustments are reasonable
• whether there are any alternative adjustments that would be less disruptive and intrusive and no less beneficial for the student.

Reasonable adjustments

A failure to provide reasonable adjustments may amount to disability discrimination. Part 3 of the Standards contains detailed provisions relating to making adjustments that by law must be considered. It should be read in full. Examples of adjustments include:

• giving a student or parent with low vision all necessary enrolment information in enlarged text
• providing extra sessions teaching key words for a student with an intellectual disability
• giving a speech-to-text device to a student with a broken arm to assist in preparing assignments
• access to occupational therapy for students who require support to navigate the school grounds
• allowing a student with anxiety to present their project to a small group of peers rather than to a whole class
• ensuring appropriate transport is made available for all students to participate in excursions
• adjusting activities at the annual swimming carnival to enable participation by all students, including those with physical disability
• adjusting seating arrangements so a student with a wheelchair has enough space to move independently around the classroom like other students
• locating a classroom in an area of the school that is accessible to all students in the class, including those with mobility issues
• making multiple accommodations if necessary to meet a single learner's needs; for example, learners who require a sign-language interpreter may also need a note-taker because watching an interpreter prevents them from taking detailed notes
• adjusting arrangements for assessments or examinations.

When to contact Legal Services

There may be adjustments that are not reasonable in particular circumstances. There may also be occasions when compliance with the Standards might seem to impose ‘unjustifiable hardship’ on the department. If you consider that particular adjustments may not be reasonable or that compliance with the Standards imposes unjustifiable hardship on the department, contact Legal Services for advice.

Clarifications and commonly asked questions

When an adjustment is reasonable.

An adjustment is reasonable if it:

• supports a student with disability to participate in education on the same basis as other students
• takes into account the student’s learning needs
• balances the interests of the student with disability with the interests of staff members and other students.

In deciding whether an adjustment for a student with disability is reasonable, all relevant circumstances and information should be taken into account, including the:

• impact of the disability on the student’s learning, participation and independence
• views of the student with disability, or their associate, about their preferred adjustment
• impact of the adjustment on other students, staff members, the student’s family, and the department
• costs and benefits of making the adjustment
• need to maintain the essential requirements of the course or program.

When adjustments should be made

Reasonable adjustments should be made as soon as possible, to maximise the benefits for the student. What is reasonable for a particular student, or a group of students, with a particular disability, may change over the period of their education, and adjustments may need to be changed.

Does a disability have to be ‘confirmed’ to fall under the law?

A disability does not need to be 'confirmed' for it to come within the definition in the legislation. The department uses the term 'confirmed disabilities' to refer to disabilities that have been confirmed using established disability criteria , which provides eligibility for targeted provisions only. The definition also covers disabilities that presently exist, previously existed, or may exist in the future.

When potentially discriminatory actions are lawful

The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (DDA) provides that it is not unlawful to do a potentially discriminatory act if it is intended to ensure that people with disabilities have equal opportunities or affords people with disabilities the ability to meet their particular needs, in relation to areas such as education, employment, accommodation and the provision of goods and services. The Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 (NSW) provides an exemption for special needs programs that are for the purposes of providing people, traditionally or more likely affected by unlawful discrimination, access to facilities, services or opportunities to meet their particular needs or promote equal or improved access. Examples of potentially discriminatory actions that might be exempted include a program under which children with special needs are given priority during enrolment.

Specialised educational settings

Most students with disability are supported directly in their local school in mainstream classes. All students have a right to be enrolled in their local school. Some students who meet the department’s disability criteria attend support classes or units within mainstream schools, Schools for Specific Purposes (SSPs) or other specialised educational settings. SSPs provide specialist educational settings and intensive support for students with significant needs from preschool through to Year 12. These schools cater for students with moderate or high learning and support needs often associated with intellectual disability, autism, emotional disturbance or behaviour disorder, physical disability or sensory impairment. Some of the reasonable adjustments implemented within these settings include:

• specialist support classes having fewer students than mainstream classes
• every specialist class having a teacher and a school learning support officer
• students having access to itinerant support teachers (hearing and/or vision)
• eligible students having access to transport assistance under the Assisted School Travel Program.

Specialist settings also maintain active links with other nearby schools and their local communities. Students attending specialist settings may have access to support classes in mainstream schools or mainstream classes and are supported to participate in community activities and training.

Personal liability

Usually, the department will be responsible – and liable – for the unlawfully discriminatory acts and omissions of a staff member. On rare occasions, for instance if a staff member engages in deliberate unlawful discriminatory conduct, a staff member who does a discriminatory act will also be responsible.

Discrimination by students

Students sometimes discriminate against other students. However, young students are generally not bound by anti-discrimination laws, and the department is not liable for the actions of students. However, a failure to take positive action in response to student behaviour may result in the department engaging in unlawful discrimination. For example, a school may be held to have treated a person unfavourably if it fails to have and enforce a student behaviour management policy that does what is reasonably practicable to prevent unlawful discrimination.

Discrimination against staff

While the Standards only apply to students, both the ADA and the DDA protect people with disability (for example, staff or parents) against unlawful discrimination. The department’s commitment to ensuring our workplaces are accessible and designed to maximise participation as well as create leadership opportunities for our employees with disability is outlined in the Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2018-2022 .

If you suspect unlawful discrimination

Managers and principals must take all necessary steps to ensure that workplaces and classrooms are free from unlawful discrimination, harassment or victimisation, and that their staff are informed of the principles of equal opportunity and anti-discrimination. Reports of such conduct must be taken seriously and appropriate action taken to prevent and correct the conduct. Under the Code of Conduct, all staff are required to report such conduct to their supervisor or director.

Further information

Unlawful discrimination Duty of care and behaviour management Disability learning and support A range of exemplars of good practice on effective adjustments, including how decisions are made on what is 'reasonable', can be found here:

• Exemplars of practice
• NCCD case study e-learning for primary schools
• NCCD case study e-learning for secondary schools
• Illustrations of practice
• Establishing a program inclusive of children with disability
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5 opportunities and 5 challenges the NCCD offers schools and teachers

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data is more than just a funding model, it empowers teachers and schools to better understand the needs of their students with a disability and make decisions about their learning. But it also comes with its challenges.

Monash’s Umesh Sharma, Fiona May, Louise McLean and Christine Grove look at key opportunities and challenges associated with effectively implementing the NCCD.

The Nationally Consistent Collection of Data (NCCD) is an annual collection of information about Australian school students with disabilities. It allows schools, teachers, education authorities and governments to better understand the needs of their students with disability, and how to best support their learning and improve outcomes.

“The NCCD identifies the functional needs of students and then identifies adjustments that need to be put in place in order for them to access and participate in education on the same basis as students without a disability.” Judy Connell, Manager Learning Diversity, Catholic Education Melbourne

NCCD data informs the Commonwealth funding allocations for students with disability, under the Australian Education Act 2013. It is also used to inform policy and program design.

The NCCD is a major reform. It empowers teachers to judge the type and level of adjustment in teaching and learning that a student with a disability needs. This is not done anywhere else in the world.

Collaboration and commitment are needed to address challenges and pursue opportunities

Embedding such a reform across all Australian schools requires high levels of collaboration and commitment from stakeholders at all levels, including school personnel, policy makers and academics.

Key stakeholders from across Australia came together at a recent forum held at Monash. The idea was to better understand the benefits associated with the NCCD and discuss the barriers.

At the forum our group identified five benefits/opportunities and five challenges for the schools. Each challenge offers a chance to do things differently, while the opportunities can significantly improve the educational outcomes of all students with disabilities included in the NCCD count.

“Forums like this remind us that the focus is not on funding, it’s not on accountability, it’s not on auditing, it’s actually about the students.” Nigel Bartlett, Manager, Funding and Accountability, Independent Schools Victoria

Five opportunities

A framework for personalised learning and support for students with disabilities.

The NCCD plays a critical role in providing personalised learning and support to students with a disability and in improving the quality of education they receive.

Where possible, the NCCD’s ability to strengthen personalised learning and support should be communicated and emphasised at all levels of the system – schools, sectors, jurisdictions, academics and policy makers.

“[We are] seeing a change in inclusive practice across our schools, which is wonderful. We are better able to target [student] needs in a really respectful way and give them what they need so that they can access and participate in their educational programs.” Megan Cavanagh, Manager of Disability Services, Department of Education in Tasmania

A tool to drive inclusive teaching and learning in schools

When applied within a whole-school approach, the NCCD helps improve the inclusion of students with a disability in schools. It increases their opportunities for learning and their developmental outcomes.

All staff should be supported to engage with the NCCD and be involved with school-based moderation processes.

Effective professional learning leads to better NCCD outcomes

Staff should be able to access high-quality professional learning so they can better understand the links between the Disability Discrimination Act, the Disability Standards for Education and the NCCD.

Such training can substantially improve the quality of the NCCD data, boost the school’s ability to use the NCCD to support personalised learning and support, and result in better educational outcomes for students with a disability.

Developing national-level training that helps achieve a consistent understanding of the NCCD is also useful.

Adopting a whole-of-school approach tends to improve data quality

Staff can better understand and apply the NCCD if they are able to regularly use it in their work. Similarly, schools that adopt a whole-of-school approach towards implementing the NCCD tend to be better at encouraging staff to engage with it. As a result, the NCCD is implemented better and the school receives higher quality data.

Training staff in how a whole-of-school approach to education planning also links to good data collection and makes the NCCD’s implementation in schools stronger.

Including the NCCD in pre-service training will save time and resources

Pre-service training programs for teachers, counsellors and psychologists provide an ideal opportunity to teach the future workforce how to effectively implement the NCCD.

If graduate teachers and professionals understand how the NCCD works, then they can contribute towards NCCD decision-making processes as soon as they start working. This saves time and resources for schools in terms of staff training on NCCD and also improves data quality.

Professional bodies such as the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, Australian Psychology Accreditation Council and the Australian Association of Social Workers can mandate key competencies related to NCCD that need to be acquired for course accreditation.

“The exchange of best practice is really, really useful. As a Commonwealth Government, what can we do to actually help the states and territories and the sectors to address challenges in a way that builds on the work they are doing and not duplicate mistakes?” Judy Petch, Director, Commonwealth Department of Education and Training

Five challenges

The level of nccd knowledge within schools varies substantially.

While some school staff know a lot about the NCCD, others understand a lot less. All school personnel need to comprehensively understand the Disability Discrimination Act and how schools can use the NCCD. This is necessary to count students with disabilities who need adjustments, but also to understand how adjustments are best made using a framework for personalised learning and support.

How this could be addressed

• Provide targeted professional learning to all school staff to ensure teacher judgements are more consistent and improve the quality of NCCD implementation.
• incorporating NCCD into professional training programs that universities offer
• providing opportunities for experience with the NCCD during course placements
• creating learning communities to share knowledge and practice.

Schools are uncertain about the data they need to collect

Schools are not clear on how much evidence they need to collect, how best to collect it or where the data should be stored.

• Develop and communicate clear and consistent guidelines about the evidence the NCCD requires
• Share this information across sectors and jurisdictions
• Incorporate into pre-service training programs for teachers, psychologists and school counsellors.

“We want to come up with some easy-to-use guidelines for schools to address these challenges,” Professor Umesh Sharma, Monash University

The effectiveness of adjustments for individual students is not measured

The NCCD requires schools to collect information about what adjustments are made for an individual student. It does not measure the effectiveness of these adjustments.

• Schools should be encouraged to monitor the effectiveness of adjustments for each student.
• Determine progress against set goals. If there is no improvement, adjustments should be changed.

Insufficient opportunities for collaboration

If the NCCD is to be effectively implemented, high levels of collaboration are needed within schools and across jurisdictions and sectors.

Although there is strong collaboration in some areas, not all educators have adequate opportunities to collaborate with their peers about the NCCD.

• Increase whole-of-school school engagement in NCCD implementation, including school-based professional learning and moderation opportunities.
• Establish learning communities across schools, networks or regions to provide further opportunities for collaboration – particularly for schools in rural and remote areas.
• Explore opportunities for cross-sector collaboration within jurisdictions.

“We’re all supporting students and families, so if we can learn from each other, there is huge value in doing that.” Judy Connell, Manager Learning Diversity, Catholic Education Melbourne.

The model doesn’t allow planning for students’ potential future needs

The NCCD focuses on the current adjustments that students are provided. It does not allow for potential future adjustments to be considered and planned for.

• School staff could be supported to develop a better understanding of the links between the Disability Discrimination Act, the Disability Standards for Education and the NCCD through professional learning opportunities.
• This may provide staff with further opportunities to consider how the NCCD can be used to promote current and future planning and can drive personalised learning and support for students with disability.

About the NCCD Forum

The National Consistent Collection of Data Forum was held on 30 May 2019 at Monash University.

This was the first time professionals from different sectors came together to discuss the NCCD's potential for supporting students with disabilities.

The video below summarises the event.

• NCCD website
• Disability Discrimination Act, Disability Standards for Education and the NCCD
• Disability Standards for Education e-learning
• Personalised learning and support and the NCCD
• NCCD resources and tools
• Learning communities

Acknowledgements

The Monash team would like to acknowledge various members of the NCCD forum who shared their views about the challenges and opportunities relating to NCCD implementation. We would also like to acknowledge for extensive contributions made by the following presenters (Professor Spence Salend, Professor Michael Arthur-Kelly, Judy Connell, Freida Lai, Nigel Barlett, Janeen Hicks, Megan Cavanagh, Amelia Campbell, and Zoe Morris).

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Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability

This policy outlines the requirements and resources available for schools to participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD).

• The NCCD is an annual collection of information about Australian school students with disability.
• The NCCD enables schools, education authorities and governments to better understand the needs of students with disability and how they can be best supported at school.
• All Australian schools are required to participate in the NCCD.
• Victorian government schools must submit their data for the collection via CASES21 by the first Friday in August.

About the NCCD

The NCCD External Link is an annual collection of information about Australian school students with disability. All Australian schools are required to participate in the NCCD.

The data collected is used by schools, education authorities and governments to better understand the needs of students with disability and how they can best be supported at school.

Through the NCCD, school teams make evidence-based decisions about students who are receiving reasonable adjustments to access education because of disability. The information collected relates to the level of adjustment being provided for each student with disability and the broad category of disability which best fits the student.

The NCCD reflects and supports the ongoing work of schools. The NCCD draws on teachers' professional judgement and practices throughout the year supporting students with disability to access and participate in education on the same basis as other students.

The NCCD model is based on mandatory obligations to students under the national Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and Disability Standards for Education 2005 (DSE). Understanding the legal obligations to students with disability is essential for all staff.

For more information refer to: Students with Disability .

Students who are eligible to be included in the NCCD

Students must satisfy the following conditions for eligibility to be included in the NCCD:

• the student’s condition meets the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 broad definition of disability External Link
• the student has been provided with reasonable adjustments to address the functional impact of a disability.

Undiagnosed (imputed) disability

Students are not required to have a formal medical diagnosis to be included in the NCCD.

An imputed disability is an undiagnosed disability the school team considers a student to have that is having a functional impact on their learning. All students who meet NCCD criteria, including those with imputed disability, must be included in the annual collection. Case studies where a student has been imputed with a disability are available on the NCCD portal External Link .

Adjustments or learning support for reasons other than a disability

Students receiving adjustments for reasons other than a disability are not eligible for inclusion in the NCCD. Case studies where a student is receiving an adjustment and not eligible to be included in the NCCD can be found on the NCCD portal External Link .

Further eligibility information is available on the NCCD portal: When is a student eligible to be included? External Link

2023 dates for schools to collect and submit data

Schools must submit their data for the collection by the census date: Friday 4 August 2023.

The department encourages schools to begin entering their NCCD data into CASES21 from Term 2. Schools are not required to wait until the census date in August to begin entering data.

The NCCD is a retrospective record of adjustments that are undertaken in schools over a minimum of 10 weeks. Evidence of adjustments can be collected anytime between the census dates in 2022 (5 August) to 2023 (4 August).

Schools are not required to create new evidence for the purposes of the NCCD. Schools will already have documented evidence of adjustments that support their decisions as standard practice to meet their legal obligations. This includes:

• Individual Education Plans (IEP)
• Student Support Group (SSG) minutes
• Disability Inclusion Profile
• teacher work programs
• teacher anecdotal notes.

The following timeline is a recommendation of actions for schools to collect, submit and review data for the NCCD in 2023.

Term 1 – Preparation

• Identify the staff in the school responsible for implementation of the NCCD (school team)
• Staff implementing the NCCD must complete professional learning on the DDA and requirements under the DSE
• Preparation activities may continue into Term 2

Term 2 – Begin entering data

• Provide all teachers with the NCCD fact sheet (DOCX) External Link and encourage staff to engage in professional development through the NCCD portal External Link
• Schools are to apply the NCCD model External Link to determine which students will be included in the collection, the level of adjustments that are being made, and the broad category of disability for each student individually
• Moderation: School team leads professional discussions to confirm that decision making has been applied consistently through moderation meetings with teachers at the school and other schools, teachers use the evidence collected throughout the year to make decisions that are consistent, reliable, and defensible
• Nominated school staff member begins entering data into CASES21

Term 3 – Data verification and submission

• School teams continue to enter data into CASES21 at any time before the census date
• School principal verifies and finalises any changes to NCCD data, supported by evidence held in the school
• Schools submit data by the census date: 4 August 2023

Term 4 – Review and evaluation

• Process, review and reflect
• School team evaluates the application of the NCCD model and how school practices and processes could be improved to facilitate next year's NCCD. School teams can refer to the Reflection Tool External Link

Information to support schools with the NCCD process

• What is the NCCD model? External Link
• Data Collection Model External Link (interactive)
• Step 1: Is there an adjustment? External Link
• Step 2: What is the level of adjustment? External Link
• What evidence is the NCCD based upon? External Link
• Levels of adjustment viewer External Link
• Step 3: What is the category of disability? External Link
• Step 4: Record and submit the data External Link

NCCD data entry

Victorian government schools submit their data through CASES21. This is explained in the guidance section, and in the CASES21 Administration Guide Chapter 7 (PDF) External Link .

NCCD resources

Refer to the Resources tab for a range of resources and tools to support the NCCD process including the 2023 NCCD Guidelines and case studies.

NCCD and Disability Inclusion

The NCCD and Disability Inclusion are both initiatives that help Victorian government schools to support students with disability to access educational activities on the same basis as their peers.

While the 2 programs use similar language and concepts, they are distinct processes. Victorian government schools need to participate in both programs for students with disability. For further information on the differences between Disability Inclusion and the NCCD, refer to: Disability Inclusion and NCCD factsheet (DOCX) External Link .

A Disability Inclusion Profile meeting will not determine a level of adjustment for the purpose of the NCCD. However, it will provide further information and evidence to support the school team's professional judgement. Similarly, schools can also use the NCCD to help in identifying students to undertake a Disability Inclusion Profile.

All students receiving individualised funding must be included in the NCCD. This includes Tier 3 Disability Inclusion Funding or funding through the Program for Students with Disabilities External Link .

Moderation of student data

School staff are recommended to meet in teams to discuss and moderate External Link the collected data and evidence to decide a student’s place in the NCCD.

When moderating school-based decisions, staff should engage in professional discussions using the evidence collected throughout the year about their students’ level of adjustment and category of disability to make decisions that are consistent, reliable, and defensible.

This practice ensures that the NCCD data submitted is accurate and consistent.

Schools are advised to undertake moderation processes (PDF) External Link during Term 2. This allows schools sufficient time to address any significant discrepancies in judgements that can affect the consistency and reliability of data.

A professional learning webinar External Link is available on the NCCD portal to support school teams to engage in moderation discussions.

Process and data entry in CASES21

What to do:

• the department requires the principal to verify that the process undertaken and student information collected is accurate
• a nominated school staff member enters verified data for each identified student in CASES21 following the instructions in the CASES21 administration user guide External Link : Chapter 7, pages 22 to 26
• Students with disability – disability summary [ST21428]
• Students with disability – student summary [ST21429].

* Note: If the PDF version of summary reports were not saved at time of submission, school staff can still access the previous year’s data. This is found through the autosave Excel document in their school’s local P:Drive at any time. There will be 2 Excel documents saved at 2 timepoints of the previous year, on the census date (early August) and in mid-October.

In 2022, the census date for submitting data is 5 August via the CASES21 system. The department supports schools entering data from Term 2, with all data to be verified and finalised by the census date.

Professional learning

The department provides training for all school-based staff on their role in the NCCD via the LearnEd portal on eduPay External Link (staff login required).

The NCCD Portal provides free information and professional learning resources for teachers, school leaders, support staff, parents and carers. The portal includes a significant amount of information and guidance to help teachers and school teams work through the steps to complete the NCCD.

To access these support materials, visit the NCCD Portal External Link .

The NCCD is designed to complement and reinforce the legislative requirements that apply to all Australian schools and education institutions under the:

• Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) External Link
• Disability Standards for Education 2005 (Cth) External Link

Before completing the NCCD, all school staff should undertake professional learning to develop or refresh their knowledge and understanding of the legal obligations relating to students with disability .

eLearning resources External Link on the DDA and the DSE are freely accessible on the professional learning External Link page on the NCCD Portal.

Practical guides about the DSE for individuals, families and communities External Link can be accessed on the NCCD Portal.

Related policies

• Disability Inclusion Funding and Support
• Individual Education Plans
• Program for Students with Disabilities External Link
• Students with Disability
• Student Support Groups

Relevant legislation

• Equal Opportunity Act 2010 (Vic) External Link

Reviewed 08 March 2023

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Policy last updated

8 March 2023

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Evidence Requirements for the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) Factsheet

The NCCD Evidence Fact Sheet seeks to provide guidance to non-government schools and school systems to make the school wide NCCD administration as streamlined as possible, while ensuring that essential evidence is made available.

It provides guidance on what is required, what is not required, and links to useful resources to assist schools to better understand and respond to the evidence requirements for the NCCD.

• Download Evidence Requirements for the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) Factsheet as a PDF (243.26kb)
• Download Evidence Requirements for the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD) Factsheet as a DOCX (284.36kb)

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