How to Request Reasonable Adjustments at an ACT School (And What to Do When They Refuse)

Reasonable adjustments are not a favour. They are a legal requirement. Under the Disability Standards for Education 2005, every ACT school — public, Catholic, and independent — must make reasonable adjustments so your child can access education on the same basis as students without disability. The problem is not the law; the law is clear. The problem is that schools often respond to verbal requests with verbal promises that never materialise in the classroom. This guide explains how to make requests that actually move.

What Counts as a Reasonable Adjustment

The DSE 2005 defines a reasonable adjustment as one that effectively balances the interests of all parties, prioritizing the student's needs without imposing unjustifiable hardship on the school. In practice, adjustments fall into several categories:

Instructional adjustments:

• Additional verbal instructions or visual prompts
• Chunked tasks with clear step-by-step formats
• Modified worksheet layouts (larger font, reduced visual clutter)
• Pre-teaching of key vocabulary before a lesson

Assessment adjustments:

• Extended time (typically 25–50% depending on the disability)
• Separate assessment room
• Reader/scribe provision
• Oral examination instead of written
• Assignment extensions for documented flare-up days

Environmental adjustments:

• Preferential seating (near the front, away from distractions)
• Access to a quiet withdrawal space for regulation
• Noise-canceling headphones
• Sensory-adjusted workspace

Technology and equipment:

• Text-to-speech software
• Speech-to-text tools
• Modified keyboards or mice
• AAC devices

Support staffing:

• Learning Support Assistant (LSA) time for specific subjects
• Check-in/check-out with a nominated support person

None of these require a formal diagnosis under the NCCD framework — they require evidence of functional educational need. A speech pathologist's report, a pediatrician's letter, or even a teacher's documented observations of functional impact can establish this.

Step 1: Make the Request in Writing

Verbal requests are forgotten, misremembered, or denied. Write to the principal and DECO (Disability Education Coordination Officer), not just the classroom teacher.

Your letter should:

• Identify the specific adjustment requested (be precise, not vague)
• Link it to the functional impact on your child's learning (cite the assessment report by name and page number if you have one)
• Cite the Disability Standards for Education 2005 as the legal basis
• Request a written response within 10 business days
• Request that the adjustment be formally included in the next ILP review

Example opening line: "I am writing under section 3.4 of the Disability Standards for Education 2005 to formally request the following reasonable adjustments for [Student Name] at [School Name]."

Step 2: The SSG Meeting

If you do not have a current Student Support Group (SSG) meeting scheduled, request one in the same letter. The SSG is the formal vehicle through which adjustments are agreed, documented, and included in the ILP.

Before the meeting, prepare a written list of every adjustment you are requesting. Bring your child's assessment reports. If an external therapist (occupational therapist, speech pathologist) has recommended specific supports, bring that documentation too.

At the meeting, insist that every agreed adjustment is documented in the ILP with:

• What the adjustment is (specific, not vague)
• Who is responsible for implementing it
• How it will be monitored
• The review date

Do not leave without receiving or being promised a copy of the updated ILP. If the meeting ends without an updated ILP, send a summary email within 24 hours: "I am confirming the following adjustments that were agreed upon at today's SSG meeting..."

Step 3: When the School Refuses

A school refusing reasonable adjustments must demonstrate that the adjustment would impose unjustifiable hardship. This is a high legal bar — it considers the financial capacity of the entire education system, not just the individual school.

The most common refusals you will encounter, and why they fail legally:

"We don't have the budget for an LSA." The NCCD framework allocates specific federal loading to students at Supplementary, Substantial, and Extensive adjustment levels. In 2026, a Substantial-level primary student generates $21,122 in additional funding for the school. The school is already receiving money designated for this purpose.

"That's a therapy need, not an education need." If the support is required for the student to access the curriculum, it is an educational need. Courts and tribunals have consistently held that occupational therapy supports for classroom access fall on the school's side of the line, not the NDIS's.

"All students get the same support." The DSE 2005 requires equity, not equality. Identical treatment of students with different needs is discrimination.

If the school refuses verbally, ask for the refusal in writing, citing which adjustments they are declining and on what grounds. A written refusal is documentation you can take to the next level.

Step 4: When the Teacher Isn't Implementing Agreed Adjustments

This is arguably more common than outright refusal: the ILP says one thing, the classroom does another. A teacher who forgets or deprioritizes adjustments that are documented in the ILP is contributing to the school's failure to meet its DSE 2005 obligations — regardless of intent.

Your response:

1. Document specifically what is not happening (date, subject, what was missing). Keep a log.
2. Raise it first with the DECO in writing, not verbally with the classroom teacher. The DECO has responsibility for monitoring ILP implementation.
3. If the DECO's response is unsatisfactory, write to the principal, citing the specific ILP provisions not being implemented and your documented log.
4. If school-level resolution fails, escalate to the ACT Education Directorate's Enquiries and Complaints unit (02 6205 6925 or [email protected]).

The Reasonable Adjustments Checklist

Before your next SSG meeting, run through this checklist:

• [ ] Do you have a current assessment report that identifies functional educational needs?
• [ ] Have you listed specific adjustments (not categories)?
• [ ] Are all requested adjustments documented in the ILP with named responsible parties?
• [ ] Does the ILP include a monitoring mechanism and a review date?
• [ ] Have you confirmed your request in writing (even after verbal meetings)?
• [ ] Do you have a log of any adjustments that are not being implemented?

The ACT Disability Advocacy Playbook includes a formal Reasonable Adjustment Request letter template, an SSG preparation checklist, and an ILP implementation log — all drafted for the ACT's specific legal framework. If you are already at the refusal stage, it also includes the formal complaint escalation template for the Directorate and the ACT Human Rights Commission.

ACT Escalation contacts:

• ACT Education Directorate Enquiries and Complaints: 02 6205 6925 | [email protected]
• Advocacy for Inclusion: 02 6257 4005 | [email protected]
• ACT Human Rights Commission: hrc.act.gov.au

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