Isolation conditions for Assistance for Isolated Children (AIC) 010-03030040

Isolation from an appropriate state school is one of the eligibility conditions for AIC.

A student is considered isolated when their family circumstances fall into one of the following categories:

• Geographical isolation
• Students with special needs
• Students deemed to be isolated

AIC allowances assist students who do not have reasonable daily access to an appropriate state school. Reasonable daily access is determined by the student's proximity and their ability to attend their nearest appropriate state school on a daily basis.

This is determined by considering the distance and travel circumstances between the:

• principal family home, and
• nearest appropriate state school

This can also be determined by the student's ability to attend their nearest appropriate state school:

• because of the student's medical condition

If the student attends a school in the state or territory in which their principal family home is located, the nearest appropriate state school is one within that state or territory, even if there is a closer school in the adjacent state or territory. If the student attends a school in another state or territory, the nearest appropriate state school can be in either the home state or territory or the adjacent state or territory.

The state or territory education authority decides if a school or year of study has limited programs. Limited program or 'bypass' schools are not appropriate state schools when determining a student's geographic isolation. If the local school to the principal family home has grades with limited programs, and the student is in one of these grades, it is not considered as the nearest appropriate state school, and the next closest appropriate state school is used for assessing the geographic isolation.

These schools usually include:

• Primary schools with specialised syllabuses and teaching arrangements that may be limited compared to the general curriculum
• Secondary schools that either:
• do not offer a full range of years or grades
• lack facilities or programs for a year 12 certificate or tertiary entrance score
• have specialised syllabus and teaching arrangements that may be limited compared to the general curriculum