Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 May 2021
86. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education the model of allocation being used for special needs assistant allocation for the academic year 2021-2022; when her Department will be publishing the allocations for the coming academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24882/21]
View answerIn December 2019, Government approved the national roll out of a new frontloading model for the allocation of SNAs support to primary and post-primary schools for students in mainstream classes, as part of the phased roll out of the School Inclusion Model (SIM).
In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for Special Needs Assistants for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools is to be deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.
The disruption prevented the delivery of the necessary training and information workshops to support the roll out of the new allocation model which had been planned for earlier this year.
The training and workshops are designed to help school leaders and teachers in their in-school planning for the new model and their engagement with parents. These sessions will now be rescheduled by the NCSE to take place during the 2021/22 school year.
SNA allocations for 2021/22 school year will be based on the actual number of SNAs employed by a school on 30 April 2021 and the allocation on that date will be rolled over into 2021/22. No school will receive a reduced allocation.
As in previous years, there will be provision for schools to apply to the NCSE for additionality where exceptional circumstances give rise to new care needs that cannot be catered for within existing allocations.
My Department will advise schools of the arrangements which will apply regarding this process shortly.
SNA allocations for 2021/22 will be published later this month as in previous years.
SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.
