Providers and partners

SAC – Information for Schools

Making a new submission for SAC to NZQA

Suggested forms and guides to help with this process are at SAC Forms and Guides.

Step 1: Identify the need for SAC

Need is determined through

  • current and previous knowledge and records of learning support provided for the student
  • teacher comments and observations
  • results from school-based testing (e.g. reading and writing)
  • professional reports
  • trialling the use of SAC

Step 2: Decide on the submission category

Submissions can be made under one or more categories: Sensory, Medical, Physical or Learning. If possible, use the Sensory, Physical or Medical categories as the evidence thresholds for these are more straight-forward.

Step 3: Gather the evidence

  • Gather the evidence available for the SAC being requested in the selected category.
  • Select sufficient evidence only. Do not over-assess students (e.g. the result of one reading test will usually suffice).

Step 4: Seek permission from the student to submit the application

  • The form for the student to use is at SAC Forms and Guides.
  • The form must be signed by the student and retained by the school.

Step 5: Complete the online SAC submission

The complete SAC Online Submission Guide can be found at SAC Forms and Guides.

  • Check with the school’s Education Sector Login (ESL) Authoriser that you have the required rights to access the SAC submission process through your school’s NZQA provider login webpage.
  • Consult the SAC Timeline for submission deadlines.
  • Complete the submission according to the process detailed in the Guide.
  • Regularly save the submission as a draft to ensure data is not lost if the system times out. When complete, submit the application.
  • Once the application has been submitted, click on the student’s NSN to open the submission and attach any documents in support of the application.
  • Once the submission has been sent, the student is entitled to use the requested SAC during the approval process until NZQA informs you otherwise.
  • Contact sac@nzqa.govt.nz if you have any problems with the submission process.

Step 6: The approvals process

  • Read the Guide to follow the approvals process, messaging system and appeals.
  • If the application has been approved:
    (i) inform the student and their parents/caregivers of the outcome.
    (ii) inform teachers of the outcome to ensure that the student is provided SAC for internal assessments as appropriate. See Assessments where SAC provision is not appropriate or not allowed.
    (iii) attach SAC entitlements to external entries at the designated time.
  • If the submission has been declined or part-declined:
    (i) decide whether to lodge an appeal of the decision or not. If so, consult the Guide for the process to use.
    (ii) students can continue to use SAC during any appeal process until a final decision on the submission is made by NZQA.
  • Once a final decision is made:
    (i) inform the student and their parents/caregivers of the outcome and
    (ii) inform teachers of the outcome.
 
 
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