Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 June 2004
304 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the funding his Department will be allocating to provide resource teachers to those schools which apply in 2004 and 2005; the funds that were allocated in 2003 to 2004; the number of applications for resource teachers that were made in County Meath; the names of the schools; the number of resource teachers positions that were filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17773/04]
View answerThe number of resource teachers in primary schools nationwide is currently in the region of 2,600 at an estimated annual salary cost of €75 million. The funds to be made available for resource teaching support in future years will be conditional on the allocations voted to my Department in the context of the annual Estimates.
With regard to the matter of funding of resource teachers for the 2004-2005 school year, my Department is currently developing a new weighted system of allocation which I announced recently. This system, as part of which an additional 350 teaching posts will be allocated, will involve two main elements, making a staffing allocation to schools based on a predicted incidence of pupils with special educational needs and making individual allocations in the case of children with more acute lower prevalence special educational needs.
It is expected that the change to a weighted system will bring with it a number of benefits. The new system will reduce the need for individualised educational psychological assessment, reduce the volume of applications to my Department for additional resources for individual pupils and give greater flexibility to schools, which will facilitate the development and implementation of improved systems and procedures in schools to meet the needs of pupils with low achievement and pupils with special educational needs.
Transitional arrangements for the introduction of the weighted system are being developed at present in consultation with representative interests. As soon as those consultations have been completed, the detailed arrangements for processing applications for teacher resources will be set out in a circular to be issued to schools shortly.
I regret that the specific information sought by the Deputy in relation to applications from schools in County Meath for resource teaching support is not readily available. However, it is my intention that all schools, including those in County Meath, which are due to receive additional resource teaching support in the context of the weighted system will be advised by my Department before the end of the current school year.
305 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will sanction a full-time resource post between schools, details supplied,) following the recent increase in numbers of pupils requiring assistance. [17789/04]
View answerMy Department received correspondence from the schools referred to by the Deputy on 4 June 2004 concerning the introduction of the weighted model of resource allocation. A response will issue to all schools, including the schools in question shortly, setting out the details of the weighted model to be implemented in September 2004.
306 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Education and Science if a full-time learning support and resource teacher will be allocated to a school, details supplied, for September 2004. [17790/04]
View answerMy Department has received applications for special educational resources, SER, from the school in question. The position is that SER applications received between 15 February and 31 August 2003, including an application from the school in question are being considered at present. In all, more than 5,000 such applications were received. Priority was given to cases involving children starting school last September and all these cases were responded to at or before the commencement of the current school year.
The balance of more than 4,000 applications has been reviewed by a dedicated team comprising members of my Department's inspectorate and the national educational psychological service, NEPS. These applications are being further considered in the context of the outcome of surveys of SER provision conducted over the past year and the data submitted by schools as part of a nationwide census of SER provision.
The processing of the applications is a complex and time consuming operation. However, my Department is endeavouring to have this completed as quickly as possible and my officials will then respond to all applicant schools. Pending a response, schools are advised to refer to circular 24-03, which issued in September 2003. This circular contains practical advice on how to achieve the most effective deployment of resources already allocated for special educational needs within the school.
In the case of teacher resources, the outcome for each applicant school will be based on a new weighted system of allocation which I announced recently. This system, as part of which an additional 350 teaching posts will be allocated, will involve two main elements, making a staffing allocation to schools based on a predicted incidence of pupils with special educational needs and making individual allocations in the case of children with more acute lower prevalence special educational needs.
It is expected that the change to a weighted system will bring with it a number of benefits. The new system will reduce the need for individualised educational psychological assessment, reduce the volume of applications to my Department for additional resources for individual pupils and give greater flexibility to schools, which will facilitate the development and implementation of improved systems and procedures in schools to meet the needs of pupils with low achievement and pupils with special educational needs.
Transitional arrangements for the introduction of the weighted system are being developed at present in consultation with representative interests. As soon as those consultations have been completed, the detailed arrangements for processing applications for resources, including those for special needs assistants and those received after 31 August last will be set out in a circular to be issued to schools shortly.
307 Mr. Andrews asked the Minister for Education and Science when staff will be allocated for the 20 new special education needs children at a school, details supplied, in County Dublin. [17791/04]
View answerMy Department allocates resource posts and special needs assistant posts to second level schools to cater for students with special educational needs. Applications for such support are made to my Department by the relevant school authorities. Each application is considered on the basis of the assessed needs of the pupils involved and the nature and level of the support provided is determined on the advice of the psychological service.
An application for additional resources for students enrolled for the 2004-05 school year has been made by the school in question. The application is currently under consideration in my Department and the school authority will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.
