CONCERNS that the e-School would be moved to Launceston College and run separate from the STARS program, leading to its possible decline, have been dismissed by the Education Department.
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Tasmanian Disability Education Reform lobby founder Kristen Desmond said parents had raised concerns about the potential move to the college.
However, department deputy secretary Liz Banks said yesterday no decision about the relocation of the e-School for the 2014 school year had been made, but she did not rule out the college as the possible new location.
It was revealed in July that the merger of the Rocherlea and Mayfield primary schools had forced the e-School, now based at Mayfield, to move.
The e-School caters for a variety of distance education formats as well as the STARS program, which is used by students with the autism spectrum disorder and with Asperger's syndrome.
Ms Desmond said parents' concerns about the college move included limited drop- off and pick-up capabilities, the mix of very young pupils with college-age students and the staffing ratio if STARS was split from the e-School.
She said parents were becoming increasingly concerned for the future of STARS, as many at the e-School also took part in that program.
"Many people totally underestimate the impact of these kinds of changes on these children," Ms Desmond.
"They just don't understand how difficult it can be for the child and for the parents to go through what is a massive change for them."
Ms Banks said the department was still in the process of deciding where the e-School would be relocated to and that Learning Services North had been working closely with staff to resolve any issues.
"The priority is to ensure that students learning will not be disrupted," Ms Banks said.
Ms Banks said STARS would not be impacted nor the children disadvantaged by the move.
She said parents would be kept informed through the newsletter.