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NSW Education Standards Authority
ACE Rules

Clarified ACE Rules came into effect on 14 October 2024. These rules apply to students commencing HSC courses from Term 4 2024, for students sitting for HSC exams in 2025, and for students receiving the RoSA from October 2024.

For students sitting for HSC exams in 2024, the previous ACE Online rules continue to apply.

To learn more about how NESA has clarified the ACE Rules, refer to the information sheets.

Disability provisions program

Last updated:

Section 20A(2) of the Education Act 1990 (NSW) authorises NESA to set and publish rules and procedures pertaining to candidates requesting disability provisions at tests or exams for the award of the HSC. 

Disability provisions have been designed to meet NESA’s obligations under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) and Disability Standards for Education 2005.

About disability provisions

  1. Disability provisions:
    1. address students’ exam needs impacted by one or more of the following categories of disability:
      1. learning, and/or
      2. medical, and/or
      3. vision, and/or
      4. hearing.
    2. are determined on the basis of functional evidence of impact, and
    3. provide practical support for students with disability to access HSC exams, not to achieve potential.1

Footnotes

  1. The practical support does not include any adjustments to marks in an exam.

Categories

HSC (assessment)HSC credentialSchools Online

Approving disability provisions

  1. NESA may approve disability provisions that provide access to the HSC exams for students whose permanent or temporary disability prevents them from doing so in a normal exam situation.
  2. NESA will not approve disability provisions:
    1. solely on the basis of a diagnosis
    2. if it confers an advantage over students without that provision
    3. based on students’ stated or perceived difficulties when undertaking HSC courses or preparing for HSC exams
    4. based on a student’s lack of familiarity with the English language, and
    5. for students with episodic conditions1 that might occur during the HSC exam, any occurrence of these conditions will be subject to consideration under NESA’s Illness/Misadventure program.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

Please contact Student Support on (02) 9367 8117 or by email at studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Footnotes

  1. For example, epilepsy or asthma.

Categories

HSC (assessment)HSC credentialSchools Online

Applying for disability provisions

  1. Principals must apply for HSC disability provisions on behalf of students for known conditions by completing the online application form in Loading... by the last day of Term 1 in the year the student sits the HSC exams.
  2. Applications must include all relevant evidence (including a diagnosis and the precise nature of the disability and the effect on exam performance) and address application requirements.
  3. Students must:
    1. obtain and complete the student declaration form, and
    2. bear responsibility for any costs incurred when obtaining independent reports, such as health reports for medical conditions.
  4. NESA will:
    1. advise the school of the decision in Schools Online
    2. notify students that a decision is available in Students Online, and
    3. inform the Presiding Officer of the approved provisions.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

Please contact Student Support on (02) 9367 8117 or by email at studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Categories

HSC (assessment)HSC credentialHSC (curriculum)

Adjustments for school-based assessment tasks

  1. Schools must ensure that students with disability can access and participate in education on the same basis as other students, as required under the Loading....
  2. Through collaborative curriculum planning, the school must determine, and implement, reasonable adjustments for a student with disability for school-based assessment tasks. Adjustments are actions taken that enable a student with disability to access syllabus outcomes and content on the same basis as their peers.
  3. Schools are responsible for any decision to determine adjustments to school-based assessment activities and tasks, including in-school tests.
  4. Adjustments at a school level are not disability provisions for the HSC.
  5. Adjustments for school-based assessment tasks may be different to disability provisions approved for HSC exams. However schools must still provide adjustments for school-based assessment.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

Please contact Student Support on (02) 9367 8117 or by email at studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Categories

HSC (assessment)HSC credentialSchools Online

Appealing a declined HSC disability provisions application

  1. A student may appeal NESA’s decision to decline their application for HSC disability provisions.
  2. Schools must submit their student’s appeal in Loading... within 14 days of receiving the decision letter.
  3. The school’s appeal for the student must:
    1. state why the NESA decision is unacceptable, and
    2. include new evidence1 supporting why the student needs the provision(s).
  4. NESA will review the appeal and advise the school of its decision in Schools Online within 21 calendar days.

Online resources

Related ACE Rules

For further information

Please contact Student Support on (02) 9367 8117 or by email at studentsupport@nesa.nsw.edu.au.

Footnotes

  1. For example, a medical report.