Finian McGrath
Question:450. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the resource hours transfer (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37730/14]
View answerTuesday, 7 October 2014
Questions (450)
Written answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that under the model of education provision which is currently in place in Ireland, resources and supports are allocated to schools to provide for the education and care of children enrolled in those schools. Resources are not allocated directly to pupils. All schools have been allocated additional teaching resources to provide for children with special educational or learning support needs through general allocation processes. Additionally, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates additional resource teaching hours to schools for children who have been assessed within the low incidence, or more complex, category of special need, as defined by my Department's Circular Sp Ed 02/05. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. The allocations to schools are likely to change each year as qualifying children leave a school and are replaced by qualifying children enrolling in the school. for each qualified child enrolling in the school, a new application is required so that the overall school's allocation can properly reflect the needs of all qualified children. Schools who wish to make an application for additional low incidence resource teaching hours may make such an application to the NCSE. The NCSE are continuing to process applications for Resource Teaching support for the 2014/15 school year, where the necessary supporting documentation was not made available for the 26 March 2014 deadline. Decisions in relation to the remaining applications received by 22 September 2014 are expected to issue to schools in mid October. I also wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education published its Report on a Proposed New Model for Allocating Teachers for Students with Special Educational Needs on 18th June 2014. One of the principal recommendations of the policy advice is that a new model should be developed for the allocation of additional teaching resources to mainstream schools, based on the profiled need of each school, which will ensure that a more equitable resource allocation system will be in place for students. To assist with the process of considering the report recommendations, my Department has begun to gather information required to develop the proposed new model. This will review how the proposed model will impact on schools. There will also be full and comprehensive consultation with stakeholders and education partners, including the parents of special needs children.