Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 June 2004
215 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which remedial, resource or special needs teaching requirements at primary and second level throughout County Kildare is deficient; if he has in mind proposals to address the issue in the short to medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19796/04]
View answerMy Department allocates teacher posts and special needs assistant posts to second level schools and vocational education committees to cater for pupils with special educational needs. Applications for such support are made to my Department by the relevant school authority. Each application is considered on the basis of the assessed needs of the pupil or pupils involved and the nature and level of the support provided is determined on the advice of the psychological service. The second level schools throughout County Kildare have been allocated 45.45 whole-time equivalent teaching posts and 11.65 special needs assistant posts to date to cater for pupils with special educational needs for the 2004-05 school year.
In addition, learning support — remedial — teacher services are provided to all second level schools. This service is focused on students with literacy or numeracy difficulties. Twenty three whole-time equivalent teaching posts of this nature have been allocated to second level schools throughout County Kildare for the 2004-05 school year.
My Department is considering a few applications for additional resources in respect of pupils in second level schools in County Kildare. The relevant school authorities will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible. I intend that all applications for special educational resources for primary schools received by 30 June 2004 will be responded to before the commencement of the 2004-05 school year. Applications for resource teacher support received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 for which a response is outstanding have been considered and schools have 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 soon and the outcome 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 those with learning support needs. It will also allow for individual allocations in respect of pupils with lower incidence special educational needs.
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 is considering applications from primary schools in County Kildare for the establishment of special classes.
216 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science the degree to which he has met the requirements in respect of special needs teaching at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; his intention to augment the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19797/04]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers has the services of two full-time resource teaching posts, one full-time learning support post and four special needs assistant posts. My Department has received an application from the school in question for special education resources. Applications for resource teacher support received between 15 February and 31 August 2003 for which a response is outstanding have been considered and all schools have been notified of the outcome. This outcome indicates to schools the resources that may be put in place immediately. It is my intention that all applications for special education resources received by 30 June 2004, which includes one application from the school in question, will receive a response before the commencement of the2004-05 school year.
The teacher allocations involved will be made in the context of a new weighted system which I recently announced. 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 high incidence special educational needs, for example, those with borderline mild and mild general learning disability, specific learning disability, and 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 the programme, 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 high 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 high incidence special educational needs which will obviate the need for schools to submit individual applications for pupils in the high incidence categories. Schools may continue to apply for specific teacher allocations in respect of pupils with low incidence disabilities. My Department 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.
