Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 May 2021
124. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education if she will liaise with the Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion on the findings of a group (details supplied) that 84.4% of schools surveyed saw an increase in AEN pupils in the past four years with 72.2% reporting that their current SET allocation is insufficient for the AEN needs of their schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25013/21]
View answerA new model for allocating Special Education Teachers to mainstream schools was introduced from September 2017, based on the profiled needs of schools.
The allocations were updated for schools with effect from September 2019, with limited readjustments being applied for at that time.
The allocations have remained in place for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 school years, with some adjustments made over the course of the model for schools which achieved developing status, or successfully appealed on the grounds of exceptional circumstances arising in their schools. Allocations are also provided for new schools which open each year.
DES Circulars 007 and 008 2019, stated that the allocations being made for 2019 would initially remain in place for a minimum of two years, following which, revised profiled allocations would be considered for schools from September 2021.
The NCSE Policy advice ‘A Proposed new Model for Allocating Teaching Resources for Students with Special Educational Needs (2014)’ on which the SET allocation model is based, recommended that ‘the additional teaching supports be left in place initially for a two-year period. As the new model becomes embedded in the system, this may be extended to three years.’
In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the Minister for Education and the Minister for Special Education and Inclusion have agreed to maintain the existing Special Education Teacher Allocations for schools for the 2021/22 school year, with re profiled allocations now due to be made from September 2022.
Additional allocations will continue to be made for new schools, schools which achieve developing status, or for exceptional circumstances arising in schools, in the interim.
The criteria for qualification for mainstream school developing school posts are set out in the Primary and Post Primary School Staffing Schedule for the 2021/22 school year.
Schools who qualify for additional mainstream developing school posts in accordance with these criteria also qualify for additional Special Education Teaching Allocations to take account of this developing status.
It is also acknowledged that there are some circumstances, which may arise in schools, which fall outside the allocations for developing school status.
These relate to exceptional or emergency circumstances which could not have been anticipated e.g. where the school profile changes very significantly, or where other exceptional circumstances have arisen in a school and which may require a review of schools capacity to provide additional teaching support for all pupils who need it in the school, or of their utilisation of their allocations.
A process is available where schools can seek a review of their allocations by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), including the utilisation of their allocations, in circumstances where a school considers that very exceptional circumstances have arisen subsequent to the development of the profile.
If a school wishes to make an exceptional needs review, they may do so at the following link: https://ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Primary-Schools-Review-Application-2020.doc
My Department is aware that the National Principals’ Forum has published a report on its Critical Analysis of Supports for Pupils with Additional Educational Needs and their School Leaders in Irish Primary Schools.
My Department will review the report in order to take account of its findings and to consider the recommendations made in this report.
In the meantime, it should be noted, however, that the number of special education teachers which have been allocated to mainstream schools has increased very significantly in recent years.
There are now over 13,600 Special Education Teachers allocated to mainstream primary and post primary schools.
This represents an increase of 40% in the total number of special education teachers allocated to schools since 2011, at which time 9740 teachers were allocated.
The number of special education teachers has increased by almost 9% since 2017 when the new allocation model was introduced.
Under the model for allocating special education teachers to schools, assessment, or diagnosis of a particular condition is no longer necessary for pupils to access educational teaching resources in schools, nor is there now a requirement for schools to submit assessments annually in order to apply for additional teaching resources.
Schools have flexibility to allocate additional teaching support to pupils where they have identified learning needs, using school based assessment of need.
In addition, Budget 2021 provided for an additional 990 additional Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) for allocation to schools, including mainstream and special schools, bringing the total numbers to 18,000 by the end of December 2021.
This allocation represents an increase of increase of 70% in the number of SNAs provided since 2011 at which point 10,575 SNAs were available.
My Department also recognises the extent of planning and co-ordination work which is carried out by schools and by school Principals.
It seeks to support this by providing for distributive leadership as set out in recent circulars, which incorporates a flexible structure in schools and allows for effective delegation of leadership roles across senior and middle leaders. The circulars allow for greater flexibility in the assignment and re-assignment of roles and responsibilities to Assistant Principals. This will afford school management greater flexibility to respond to the individual needs and priorities of their school.
