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Special Educational Needs.

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 June 2004

Tuesday, 29 June 2004

Questions (222, 223, 224, 225, 226)

Denis Naughten

Question:

220 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason rural disadvantaged schools are only entitled to 50% of the resource teacher allocation of the urban disadvantaged schools as per Department circular SP ED 09/04; if he will review this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19373/04]

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Written answers

The differentiated system of weighted allocation teacher allocation referred to in circular SP ED 09/04 is intended to recognise the evidence that factors such as disadvantage and gender have a bearing on the incidence of special educational need. The new arrangements also take full account of the 350 posts I secured to facilitate their introduction. I should point out also, that the needs of pupils in lower incidence categories of disability will continue to be met on an individual basis.

Michael Ring

Question:

221 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science if his Department’s inspectorate contacted a family in County Mayo, as promised in the reply to Question No. 315 of 27 April 2004; the progress that has been made on the placement of a person with special needs (details supplied) in County Mayo in the education system; and the education that has been offered to them to date. [19401/04]

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I understand that my Department's inspectorate has a vacancy in the area that the pupil referred to by the Deputy resides. However, my officials are making arrangements for an alternative member of the inspectorate to contact the parents concerned shortly.

John Bruton

Question:

222 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if a definitive decision will be made regarding the allocation to a school (details supplied) of a special needs assistant to ensure that the school will have adequate time to advertise the position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19403/04]

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I wish to refer the Deputy to Circular SP ED 09/04 which may be accessed on my Department's website, www.education.ie, under “Children with Special Needs”. The circular advises schools that have applied for special needs assistant support that they will be advised of the outcome of their applications as soon as possible in advance of the next school year.

Special needs assistants may be approved to support a pupil who has a significant medical need for such assistance, a significant impairment of physical or sensory function or where their behaviour is such that they are a danger to themselves or other pupils. The criteria used for the assessment of the need for special needs assistant support is outlined in my Department's circular 07/02. This circular may be accessed on my Department's website.

Since 1998, the number of special needs assistants in primary schools has grown from about 300 to in excess of 5,500 full-time and part-time posts. My Department continues to review existing arrangements for the allocation of special educational supports to primary schools. The basic purpose of the review is to ensure that each school has the level of resources required to cater for its pupils with special educational needs.

Account is being taken of existing levels of special needs assistant support allocation in schools. In cases where a reduction in the level of special needs assistant support is proposed, there will be provision for schools to appeal, having regard to the care needs of the pupils concerned. Details of the appeals mechanism will be set out in a communication to schools.

Martin Ferris

Question:

223 Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the situation regarding the provision of a resource teacher at a school (details supplied) in County Kerry. [19405/04]

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I can confirm that my Department has received five applications for special educational resources, SER, from the school to which the Deputy refers. All applications for special educational resources received after 31 August 2003, including the applications from the school in question are being considered by the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS. In those cases, it is intended that the applicant schools will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible in advance of the commencement of the next school year.

Dinny McGinley

Question:

224 Mr. McGinley asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to address the backlog of 8,000 applications for special educational resources; if he intends to carry out an assessment of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19331/04]

View answer

It is my intention that all applications for special educational resources received by 30 June 2004 will be responded to before the commencement of the 2004-05 school year. Applications for resource teacher support that were received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 for which a response is outstanding have been considered and schools have now been notified of the outcome. This outcome indicates to schools the resources that may be put in place immediately. Applications received after 31 August 2003 and by 30 June 2004 will be processed in the near future and the outcome will be notified to schools before the commencement of the 2004-05 school year.

The teacher allocations involved will be made in the context of a new weighted system which I announced recently. An additional 350 teacher posts are being provided to facilitate the introduction of the new system. The new system will involve a general weighted allocation for all primary schools to cater for pupils with higher incidence special educational needs, for example, those with borderline mild and mild general learning disability, specific learning disability, and also those with learning support needs. It will also allow for individual allocations in respect of pupils with lower incidence special educational needs.

The weighted allocation will be made as follows: In the most disadvantaged schools as per the urban dimension of Giving Children an Even Break, a teacher of pupils with special educational needs will be allocated for every 80 pupils to cater for the subset of pupils with higher incidence special needs; in all-boys schools, the ratio will be one teacher for every 140 pupils; in mixed schools, or all-girls schools with an enrolment of greater than 30% boys, one for every 150 pupils; and in all-girls schools including schools with mixed junior classes but with 30% or less boys overall, one for every 200 pupils. It is intended that the details of the new model will be set out in a comprehensive circular to issue to schools for the commencement of the new school year.

The weighted allocation will enable teaching support to be provided to pupils with higher incidence special educational needs and this will obviate the need for schools to submit individual applications for pupils in the higher incidence categories. Schools may continue to apply for specific teacher allocations in respect of pupils with lower incidence disabilities. My Department now proposes to devise clusters in respect of allocations to be made under the weighted model. Sanction for the filling of posts will be considered in the context of these clusters and the weighted arrangements. The Department will communicate with schools in this regard before the commencement of the coming school year.

Schools which have applied for special needs assistant support will be advised of the outcome of their applications as soon as possible in advance of the next school year. Account is being taken of existing levels of special needs assistant support allocation in schools. In cases where a reduction in the level of special needs assistant support is proposed, there will be provision for schools to appeal, having regard to the care needs of the pupils concerned.

My Department recognises the difficulties some schools have been experiencing while awaiting the outcome of applications for special educational resource and the introduction of the weighted model. The process has been complex and time-consuming and I am endeavouring to have all aspects completed as quickly as possible. I also wish to acknowledge the co-operation and support of schools in this regard.

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