Stakeholders have come together in support of a plan to reform Tasmania's education system, saying the state's students are the most disadvantaged in the nation.
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The Australian Education Union Tasmania Branch's Lifting Learning paper was launched on Sunday. The 28-page document calls for increased class support and professional support staff, among other measures.
The campaign was backed by the Australian Psychological Society, Tasmanian Disability Education Reform Lobby, and Tasmanian Association of State Schools.
AEU Tasmania President David Genford said it was "unacceptable" Tasmania was falling behind mainland schools, and the organisations had come together with the same objective - improving student learning.
"This is their learning that's being affected," he said.
Tasmanian Disability Education Reform Lobby founder Kristen Desmond said strides had been made in funding students with disability, but had not been implemented properly.
"This is not something that can be put in the too-hard basket, it has to be dealt with, and it has to be dealt with now," she said.
TASSO president Natham Reynolds said schools needed more funding so students could have the education they deserved.
"Schools reflect how our future communities will look, our children are our future leaders. It's not about spending more for today, it's about investing for a more stable future of the next generation," he said.
The paper pushes for one social worker and psychologist per 500 students.
Tasmanian senior school psychologist Sally Rayner said students and families were leaning on schools for help and crisis support. She said mental health issues impacted participation and engagement.
"We are seeing lots more young people present with suicidal distress and complex emotional and psychiatric needs for which there are few other services available to support them," she said.
Education minister Roger Jaensch said the government was open to working with stakeholders to further improve education. He said a review of the needs-based disability funding model would commence this year.
"Tasmania continues to significantly grow our rates of educational engagement, with more students than ever before participating in the range of senior secondary and training options available for our young people."
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