Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 November 2016
207. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that were invited by his Department to participate in the pilot model for the proposed new resource allocation model for children with special educational needs; the number that refused; the reasons for the refusal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37321/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory role under the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 to provide me with policy advice in relation to matters concerning the education of persons with special educational needs.
The NCSE identified that the current model for allocating resource teachers to schools is potentially inequitable, because access to the range of professional assessments required for the diagnosis of low incident disabilities is not always readily available to those who cannot afford to access them privately. The NCSE has also advised that the current model can lead to unnecessary labelling of children from a young age.
The NCSE has proposed a new resource teaching allocation model which will, when introduced, remove the formal requirement for diagnostic assessment to access additional support and which will provide resources to schools based on school profiles.
Some 66 schools were invited to participate in this pilot. 19 schools, including 15 primary schools and 4 posts primary schools, declined to participate in the pilot project. These schools were unable to participate for a number of reasons, such as due to the time required to be involved in the project, or involvement in a range of other projects or pilots.
The pilot of this new model was therefore conducted in 47 schools over the course of the 2015/16 school year, 28 at Primary School and 19 at Post Primary School.
A review of this pilot has been completed and a report of the review is currently being finalised.
I understand that the review will indicate that the new model has been positively received by schools and parents.
Schools indicated that they welcomed the increased flexibility and autonomy provided by the model to allocate resources based on need. Most schools believe the model allows more scope for team teaching, targeted interventions, a mix of in-class and group work, with less focus on withdrawal and one to one teaching. Schools welcome the move away from the unnecessary labelling of children in order to secure resources. Schools also welcomed that they no longer need to wait for diagnosis and that this facilitates intervention at an earlier stage based on the schools identification of need. In addition schools indicated a belief that they were broadly well supported in meeting the needs of children with Special Educational Needs.
As part of the recent Budget announcements, I announced that following development and piloting over the past number of years, a new model for the allocation of teaching resources for children with special educational needs will be implemented from September 2017.
An additional €18 million will be provided in 2017 to provide for around 900 resource teacher posts.
Further details regarding implementation of the new model will be announced in the coming months.
