Written Answers Nos. 595-613
595. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the measures that her Department is taking to address the shortage of primary school teachers at a school (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55173/22]
View answerMy Department runs a comprehensive programme of work to support the supply of teachers at primary level.
Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) represent a new source of supply in 2022/23. In excess of 1,870 primary NQTs have had their registrations finalised by the Teaching Council to date in 2022 with further applications being processed.
Significant additional posts have been allocated to the primary substitute teacher supply panels in areas where significant challenges in sourcing substitution continue, bringing the total to 610 posts on 151 panels, covering approximately 2,800 schools, including 114 primary schools in Co. Meath The school referred to by the Deputy is part of a substitute teacher supply panel scheme.
The supply panels work alongside the existing methods of sourcing substitute teachers and schools can also make local arrangements to have their own regular substitutes to call on if needed.
Sub Seeker, a central portal for short-term substitute vacancies, was jointly developed by IPPN / NAPD in accordance with my Department's Teacher Supply Action Plan and launched in December 2019. The portal matches available primary and post-primary teachers with short-term substitute vacancies. Almost 12,000 teachers have registered with Sub Seeker to date.
On a temporary basis for the 2022/23 school year, job sharing teachers may be employed to work in a substitute capacity during the period they are rostered off, in their own or in other schools
The limits on substitute work applying to teachers on career break have also been temporarily suspended for the 2022/23 school year.
The Teaching Council made regulations allowing for the registration of 3rd and 4th year undergraduate student teachers under a new registration route, Route 5 (Student Teachers). Approximately 1,300 student teachers applied for registration under the first cycle of Route 5 registrations. The second cycle of Route 5 registrations commenced in early October. Once registered with the Teaching Council, student teachers can be employed by a school to cover substitutable vacancies.
The various measures to support teacher supply are underpinned by the Teaching Transforms campaign, which promotes the teaching profession and encourages students to follow a career in teaching. The campaign uses digital, radio and video media, and is supported by a dedicated webpage, www.gov.ie/teachingtransforms.
My Department will continue, with the cooperation of the education partners, to develop and implement measures to address challenges faced by schools and to support the supply of teachers.
596. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if special educational needs places at a school can be allocated to pupils (details supplied). [55194/22]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
On consultation with the NCSE, they have advised that no application for Saplings school in Mullingar has been received the on behalf of children mentioned.
Both children are currently pupils in Educate Together NS, Mullingar, where they are enrolled in a Special Class.
Information regarding placement and enrolment in Saplings School is clearly outlined on their website. I have attached a copy here for your perusal.
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.
For 2022, my Department will spend in excess of €2.3 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special educational needs.
For 2023, this spend will be substantially increased by over 10%, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.
This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.
This includes additional teaching and care supports. It also includes funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) for an additional 54 psychologists to provide services to special schools and special classes.
In 2022, funding for an additional 980 teachers and 1,165 special needs assistants was provided. For 2023, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 special needs assistants in our schools next year.
For the first time ever we will have over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 Special needs assistants. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide.
In 2023, there will be a significant investment in the expansion of the National Council for Special Education, with a total full-year investment of €13 million, in over 160 additional staff. This investment is being undertaken so that the NSCE can respond effectively, compassionately and quickly to the increased need in our education system so that children and their families are fully supported and achieve the best possible education outcomes.
My Department and the NCSE continue to work very closely in planning for the delivery of new places required to meet forecasted demand.
I am satisfied that this approach is delivering. We have seen 393 new special classes open, bringing the total of special classes to 2,545 opened nationwide for the 2022/23 school-year. The 393 new special classes for 2022/23 is broken down by 260 at primary level and 133 at post primary level.
For 2023, a further 370 special classes will open, taking the total number of special classes to over 2,900 in 2023.
Information on the list of schools with special classes, the types and locations of these classes is published on the NCSE website and is available at www.ncse.ie
NCSE is continuing to engage with schools regarding the establishment of additional special classes for the next school year 2023/2024. Every support will be made available to schools to progress the opening of special classes in the shortest possible timeframe
It is of course open to any school to engage with the NCSE to establish a special class.
My Department is committed, in conjunction with the NCSE, to continue to work with parents, schools, patrons and all stakeholders to ensure that there are sufficient appropriate places for students with additional needs and to support all students to achieve their potential.
I want to reassure you also that my Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.
598. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education her views on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55212/22]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews and the school should liaise with the NCSE directly in the event that additional supports are required. My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.
The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
SNA support is allocated to special classes and special schools by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The NCSE have published the SNA allocations on their website www.ncse.ie.
Under the allocation model for special classes and special schools, the SNA allocation can change from year to year as children with care needs leave the school, as new children with care needs enrol in a school and as children develop more independent living skills and their care needs diminish over time. There is a prescribed special class to SNA ratio.
Additional SNA support may also be sanctioned by the NCSE where there are individual children who have significant care needs which require support above the level of support already sanctioned to the school. In such circumstances, the school may apply to the NCSE for access to additional care supports, clearly outlining the reason why the additional support is necessary.
All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, and the SENO is available to offer assistance and advice to the school. The school should contact the SENO when it considers that additional SNA support is required, the SENO will clarify to the school the information that is required for a review its SNA allocation. Further information on the application process is published on the NCSE website ncse.ie/guidelines-and-applications-forms-for-special-schools
599. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education if she will review the decision not to award DEIS status to a school (details supplied) given that all three other schools in the same town have DEIS status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55213/22]
View answerIn March this year I was glad to be able to announce a major expansion of the DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme. This means that, for the first time since 2017, the programme has been significantly expanded to an additional 322 schools. Those schools are now gaining access to targeted supports to address educational disadvantage. This will add an additional €32million to my Department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the 2023 allocation to in the region of €180 million.
Schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics-based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme. The model uses information from the school’s individual enrolment database and 2016 national census data as represented by the Pobal HP Deprivation index. It also took into consideration the significant educational disadvantage experienced by Traveller and Roma learners and by students residing in direct provision or emergency homeless accommodation. A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie
Schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data were provided with the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed. The DEIS appeals process was applied fairly across all appellants and the results are final. My Department will continue to support schools to deliver high quality, inclusive teaching and learning to students and young learners.
It is possible for neighbouring schools to have a different profile in terms of proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds and the relative weighting of disadvantage apportioned in each. The designation of different DEIS status to neighbouring schools does not mean that there is no educational disadvantage present in one school, but that the concentrated level of educational disadvantage of the schools is different.
It is important to note that the extension of the DEIS programme to new schools is just one phase of work in my vision for an inclusive education system which supports all learners to achieve their potential. While the DEIS programme supports those schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage, I recognise that there are students at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. Conscious of this and recognising the need to target resources to those schools that need them most, the next phase of work will explore the allocation of resources to schools to tackle educational disadvantage. Part of this programme of work will involve consultation with all relevant stakeholders.
In addition to this, following the National Census 2022 held on the 3rd April last, it is envisaged that an updated HP Deprivation Index will be generated by Pobal and will be available in Q3 of 2023. My Department will engage with Pobal in relation to this process. The updated HP Deprivation Index, when available, can be considered by my Department to inform future resource allocation to tackle educational disadvantage.
600. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the status of building underway at a school (details supplied); and the timelines in place for opening to students. [55247/22]
View answerThe Letter of Acceptance (LOA) issued to the preferred tenderer on 18 May 2022 commencing the school building contract for the school referred to by the Deputy.
The construction programme for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered in three phases with the first phase due for completion in Q3 2023.
601. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the status of building underway at a school (details supplied); and the timelines in place for opening to students. [55248/22]
View answerThe Letter of Acceptance (LOA) issued to the preferred tenderer on the 31st May 2022 commencing the school building contract for the school referred to by the Deputy.
The construction programme is 70 weeks with the new 1,000 post-pupil school anticipated to be completed in Q3/Q4 2023. My Department is in discussions with the patron with regard to any short-term interim accommodation requirements for 2023 pending delivery of the permanent school.
My Department will continue to keep the school authorities informed of the construction programme.
602. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education when school transport will be facilitated in the case of a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55255/22]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
I wish to advise the Deputy that no application for school transport has been received for the child referred in the School Transport Section of my Department or in Bus Eireann.
Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Application Process for School Transport
Families who wish to avail of school transport and have their eligibility status assessed should apply on-line in a timely manner to Bus Éireann on Bus Éireann’s website (www.buseireann.ie).
The closing date for school transport applications for the 2022/23 School Year was Friday, 29 April 2022.
The family may still apply for school transport following this date, but if the application is late, they may not secure a seat on a service and will not be considered for a remote area grant.
Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of the Department, will contact all applicants regarding their eligibility for school transport.
Pupils who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis in accordance with the terms of the School Transport Schemes and subject to the following conditions:
- a Transport Application Form is completed and submitted to Bus Éireann.
- there is a suitable service, as determined by Bus Éireann, operating into their school/education centre.
- there is spare capacity on the service.
Any remaining seats left after eligible pupils are accommodated are then allocated to concessionary pupils. Where there is a transport service available.
Application Process for School Transport for Children with Special Educational Needs
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special needs.
Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO).
School transport is provided to children with special needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
A parent/guardian who wishes to make an application for transport should contact the school principal of the school that their child is attending who will assist in making an application for school transport to the SENO that is affiliated with their school.
603. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the proposed car-park lease in respect of a school (details supplied); when the lease will be issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55256/22]
View answerA technical examination is presently being undertaken within my Department in order to inform the proposed terms for the licence referred to. This planned licence has been prioritised and is being prepared as an exceptional measure.
604. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the steps that are being taken to ensure that replacement teachers and SNAs are available for schools where staff are out on sick leave; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55257/22]
View answerThe terms and conditions of the Sick Leave Scheme are contained in my Department’s Circular Letter 0054/2019 (Chapter 1) for primary and post primary teachers and Circular 0060/2019 for SNAs. Where a teacher or SNA is absent on sick leave, the employer may appoint a substitute teacher or SNA, paid by my Department to cover the absence.
My Department runs a comprehensive programme of work to support the supply of substitute teachers.
Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) represent an additional source of supply for substitute and full-time posts in 2022/23. Over 3,450 primary and post-primary NQTs have had their registrations finalised by the Teaching Council this year to date with further applications currently in progress.
Significant additional posts have been allocated to the primary substitute teacher supply panels in areas where significant challenges in sourcing substitution continue, bringing the total to 610 posts on 151 panels, covering approximately 2,800 schools. The supply panels work alongside the existing methods of sourcing substitute teachers and schools can also make local arrangements to have their own regular substitutes to call on if needed.
Sub Seeker, a central portal for short-term substitute vacancies, was jointly developed by IPPN / NAPD in accordance with my Department's Teacher Supply Action Plan and launched in December 2019. The portal matches available primary and post-primary teachers with short-term substitute vacancies. Almost 12,000 teachers have registered with Sub Seeker to date.
On a temporary basis for the 2022/23 school year, job sharing teachers may be employed to work in a substitute capacity, during the period they are rostered off duty, in their own or in other schools
The limit on substitute work applying to teachers on career break has also been temporarily suspended for the 2022/23 school year.
The Teaching Council made regulations allowing for the registration of 3rd and 4th year undergraduate student teachers under a new registration route, Route 5 (Student Teachers). Approximately 1,300 student teachers applied for registration under the first cycle of Route 5 registrations. The second cycle of Route 5 registrations commenced in early October. Once registered with the Teaching Council, student teachers can be employed by a school to cover substitutable vacancies.
At post-primary level it has been decided to rollout a scheme that will provide for teachers to teach additional hours in their subject area over and above the current maximum 22-hour limit, similar to the scheme that applied in the 2021/22 school year but with some important modifications. It is planned to publish details of the new scheme after the October mid-term break.
My Department will continue, with the cooperation of the education partners, to develop and implement measures to address challenges faced by schools and to support the supply of teachers.
605. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if her Department has assessed the impact that the cut to support teaching hours has had on girls’ national schools in the Dublin area; if any steps can be taken to alleviate the negative impact that it is having on such schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55258/22]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
The Special Education Teacher (SET) Allocation model was introduced in 2017 to allocate the total number of available SET posts on the basis of the educational profile of each school and replaced the previous diagnosis led approach for the allocation of additional teaching time to students with special educational needs and is a more transparent and equitable way of allocating teaching resources to schools.
School profiles have now been updated to take account of the latest available data including enrolments and the resulting allocations are effective from September 2022 and will remain in place for two years.
In relation to girls only National schools in Co Dublin in the most recent re-profiling 19 schools gained as part of the re-profiling and 12 lost and 7 saw no change in their allocation.
The allocation of special education teachers to mainstream schools is based on a school’s educational profile, which comprises two components:
- Baseline component provided to every mainstream school to support inclusion, assistance with learning difficulties and early intervention, and
- A school educational profile component, which takes into account:
- The number of pupils with complex needs enrolled to the school.
- The learning needs of pupils as evidenced by standardised test results for literacy and numeracy.
- The social context of the school including disadvantage and gender.
A value is applied for each student counted in the complex need category in each school. The data for the complex needs component is now sourced from the HSE Children Disability Network Teams (CDNT) for children who are entering junior infants who have had an assessment or who have been put on a waiting list for assessment.
Data has been received from the HSE (CDNT) on the number of new entrants with complex needs to primary schools and this data has been incorporated into the model.
The HSE’s procedures for determining access to Children Disability Network Teams are outlined in the National Policy on Access to Services for Children & Young People with Disability & Developmental Delay (HSE 2016) www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/disability/progressing-disability/pds-programme/documents/national-policy-on-access-to-services-for-disabilities-and-developmental-delay.pdf
Access is based on the child’s functioning capacity across a range of domains, as opposed to being based on a formal diagnosis of disability.
In cases where a school has no complex needs value in their allocation letter, this indicates that no complex needs value data was available to the model as no complex need data was returned for the school by the relevant CDNT.
Circulars 20/2022 and 21/2022 provide further details in relation the components which make up a schools educational profile.
A school may 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 appeal, they should contact the NCSE at www.ncse.ie.
606. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update in respect of teachers and the special leave with pay for Covid-19 payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55262/22]
View answerThe position as previously outlined to the Deputy in July 2022 has remained unchanged.
COVID-19 Special Leave with Pay is currently available to a teacher who (a) begins to display COVID-19 symptoms or (b) receives a positive COVID-19 PCR/antigen test result. The maximum Special Leave with Pay entitlement is 7 consecutive days in any one instance, which is the current HSE stated self-isolation period. The terms and conditions of the Sick Leave Scheme will apply where a teacher remains medically unfit for work immediately after the 7-day Special Leave with Pay period. This entitlement is in line with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s (DPER) ‘Guidance and FAQs for Public Service Employers during COVID-19 in relation to Special Leave with Pay for COVID-19 ‘. The DPER Guidance and FAQs apply to all civil and public service employees.
My Department’s Circular Letter 0038/2022 titled ‘COVID-19: Coronavirus (COVID-19): Updated Working Arrangements for Teachers and Special Needs Assistants employed in recognised Primary and Post Primary schools’ reflects this DPER directive.
607. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on an application by a school (details supplied) for an ASD class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55283/22]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has no current record of receiving an application for additional accommodation from the school in question.
It is open to the school authority to make an application for additional accommodation through the 'Additional School Accommodation scheme (ASA)'. My officials have been in touch with the school authorities to provide the necessary documentation to apply for this scheme.
608. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education in relation to educational psychologist trainees, if her attention has been drawn to concerns raised by students in relation to the working group which does not include any course co-ordinators from either Mary Immaculate College or UCD or persons from the Department of Health; if she will ensure the working group is broadened to include these representatives; and if she will ensure that there is consideration of financial support needed as well as a contribution to fees. [55303/22]
View answer625. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education if she will clarify her views, further to a Dáil Éireann contribution in which she stated that her Department will use available NEPS funding to sponsor educational psychologists; if she will clarify the definition of a sponsor; the number of places that will receive such funding; if there are plans to make this funding long-term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55576/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 608 and 625 together.
The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of my Department provides a school-based psychological service to all recognised primary and post-primary schools through the application of psychological theory and practice to support the wellbeing, and the academic, social and emotional development of all learners.
The NEPS service provides access for all schools to:
- Psychological support in the event of a Critical Incident
- A Casework Service for individual children where there is a need for intensive consultation and assessment
- A school staff Support and Development Service, to build school capability to provide a comprehensive continuum of support in schools and
- Ongoing access to advice and support for schools.
This overall approach allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent individual cases and, through supporting school staff, to benefit many more children than could be seen individually.
A working group in the Department has been examining the matter of how the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) can continue to recruit adequate numbers of suitably qualified staff and continue to respond to the educational psychological needs of children in recognised primary and post-primary schools across the country.
The group has agreed on a number of actions that must be taken to address supply issues in the medium to long term. These include the development of a workforce plan for educational psychologists within the Department of Education and work has begun with other Government Departments to advance this. I am aware of concerns that have been raised by students in relation to this work. To note that officials in my Department liaise regularly with the Department of Health, and with Mary Immaculate College and University College Dublin, and, as this work progresses, will continue to do so and to consult with other stakeholders as appropriate.
A number of options were considered to address some immediate supply issues. Following analysis of these, it was decided that the Department would use some available NEPS funding to sponsor a cohort of third year students of the Educational Psychology Doctoral programme in University College Dublin (UCD) and Mary Immaculate College (MIC) University of Limerick, for the academic year 2022/23 to provide support via a contribution towards their fees and associated expenses. The workforce planning group referred to above will be asked to make some interim recommendations in Q2 of next year regarding any other short-term measures required in advance of their final report. It is envisaged that funding supports for students on the educational psychological doctorate programme will be considered as part of this process.
609. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education her views on matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) in relation to recent instructions to teachers and principals to conduct assessments of educational needs on behalf of the HSE under the AON process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55322/22]
View answerThe Assessment of Need (AON) process is provided for under the Disability Act 2005. Assessment Officers under the remit of the HSE are charged with organising the Assessment of Need. The Assessment Officer makes the determination as to whether or not a child or young person meets the definition of disability contained in the Act and the HSE Assessment Officer coordinates and completes the Assessment Report.
Following on from a court ruling in October 2021 there is now a legal obligation on the education system to assist the HSE as part of the HSE’s Assessment of Need Process (AON).
The Department of Education and NCSE have worked intensively to ensure the process put in place adheres to legal obligations arising from the HSE’s AON process and is one that is rooted in existing good practice in schools. Under the Disability Act (2005) the NCSE is obliged to nominate a person with appropriate expertise to assist in the education assessment process.
Where the child is enrolled in a school the Education of Persons with Special Education Needs Act (EPSEN) 2004 names the principal as the person the NCSE should contact.
It is important to note that the educational component of the AON process refers to assessment of education needs. Assessment in education is an everyday practice in schools which results in the identification of a child’s education need and the measures required to address these needs.
Identification of education needs, therefore, is central to the way schools operate. Schools provide for the inclusion and participation of all students and provide an education which is appropriate to a student’s abilities and needs.
In that regard, it is important to note that schools routinely identify students’ needs. This is embedded in school practice. This aligns with the obligations on schools arising from the Education Act 1998. They use a range of assessment practices as part of the Continuum of Support process. The Continuum of Support framework enables the school to identify, address and review progress in meeting the academic, social and emotional needs of the pupil, as well as physical, sensory, language and communication needs.
Schools have been provided with a range of resources to ensure that the education needs of all students, including those with a disability or other special education needs, are identified and supported. The Department of Education issued Guidelines for Primary and Post Primary schools (2017) as to how they should identify and provide for the special education and learning needs of students.
Information derived from the schools’ assessments in education are recorded in a ‘Student Support File’. In line with best educational practice, the Student Support file details a student’s education needs as identified by the school. The information contained in the Student Support File is used in completing the educational component of the AON form which is returned to the HSE via the NCSE.
The Department of Education and the NCSE are conscious of the workload on schools and on school leaders and, in that regard, an extensive consultation process on the educational component of the AON was undertaken prior to its introduction. This process involved schools, advocacy groups, management bodies and unions. The Department of Education and the NCSE worked with a small number of schools on a draft of the documents required as part of the HSE’s AON process. The schools provided valuable feedback on the form and guidance documents which was used to inform the documents which have been issued to schools.
The Department of Education and the NCSE have put in place a suite of supports to assist schools in completing the educational component of the HSE’s AON process. These include:
- Detailed guidance,
- Short video for use by schools setting how to comply with the process,
- Email support,
- Dedicated support line – this line is staffed by education professionals who will assist schools in completing the process.
I think it is important to note that this remains a HSE process. The information retained in schools on a student’s education needs, are transferred into a Report Form that will be returned to the HSE to feed into the overall AON process. The education system is assisting the HSE on the educational component only, as part of the HSE’s Assessment of Need Process (AON).
On foot of ongoing engagement the Department and NCSE advised stakeholders last week (27 October) that the trialling process which began earlier this year would continue for the educational component of assessment of need (AON) process which is currently taking place at school level. As is the case of any measure required to comply with legal obligations, the Department engaged with the unions, management bodies and a number of schools prior to the introduction of the trial AON process in schools. Engagement occurred in June to inform unions and management bodies of this process and continued with feedback on the trialling process to stakeholders in September. The Department is committed to ongoing engagement on this process.
This trialling is being led by NCSE and supported by the Department’s Inspectorate and the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). The Department and NCSE are satisfied that the information provided as a result of this engagement will meet the requirements as set out in the AON process.
Work will continue with stakeholders to finalise an education focused AON process.
610. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the criteria which apply for a primary school to meet DEIS status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55373/22]
View answerIn March I was glad to be able to announce a major expansion of the DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme which means that, for the first time since 2017, the programme is being significantly expanded and eligible schools will now gain access to targeted supports to address educational disadvantage. This will add an additional €32million to my Department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the 2023 allocation to in the region of €180million.
Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model, which is an objective, statistics-based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.
The DEIS identification process is based on the principle of concentrated disadvantage. The DEIS identification model aimed to identify those schools with the highest proportion of students from areas designated as disadvantaged.
A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie at www.gov.ie/en/publication/a3c9e-extension-of-deis-to-further-schools/#how-schools-were-selected-for-inclusion-in-deis
Schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data were provided with the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed. The DEIS appeals process was applied fairly across all appellants and the results are final. My Department will continue to support schools to deliver high quality, inclusive teaching and learning to students and young learners.
It is important to note that the extension of the DEIS programme to new schools is just one phase of work in my vision for an inclusive education system which supports all learners to achieve their potential. While the DEIS programme supports those schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage, I recognise that there are students at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. Conscious of this and recognising the need to target resources to those schools that need them most, the next phase of work will explore the allocation of resources to schools to tackle educational disadvantage. Part of this programme of work will involve consultation with all relevant stakeholders.
In addition to this, following the National Census 2022 held on the 3rd April last it is envisaged that an updated HP Deprivation Index will be generated by Pobal and will be available in Q3 of 2023. My Department will engage with Pobal in relation to this process. The updated HP Deprivation Index, when available, can be considered by my Department to inform future resource allocation to tackle educational disadvantage.
611. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education if a school (details supplied) in County Meath meets the eligibility criteria for DEIS status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [55374/22]
View answerIn March this year I was glad to be able to announce a major expansion of the DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme. This means that, for the first time since 2017, the programme has been significantly expanded to an additional 322 schools. Those schools are now gaining access to targeted supports to address educational disadvantage. This will add an additional €32million to my Department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the 2023 allocation to in the region of €180 million.
Schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics-based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme. The model uses information from the school’s individual enrolment database and 2016 national census data as represented by the Pobal HP Deprivation index. It also took into consideration the significant educational disadvantage experienced by Traveller and Roma learners and by students residing in direct provision or emergency homeless accommodation. A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie.
Schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data were provided with the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed. The DEIS appeals process was applied fairly across all appellants and the results are final. My Department will continue to support schools to deliver high quality, inclusive teaching and learning to students and young learners.
It is important to note that the extension of the DEIS programme to new schools is just one phase of work in my vision for an inclusive education system which supports all learners to achieve their potential. While the DEIS programme supports those schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage, I recognise that there are students at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. Conscious of this and recognising the need to target resources to those schools that need them most, the next phase of work will explore the allocation of resources to schools to tackle educational disadvantage. Part of this programme of work will involve consultation with all relevant stakeholders.
In addition to this, following the National Census 2022 held on the 3rd April last, it is envisaged that an updated HP Deprivation Index will be generated by Pobal and will be available in Q3 of 2023. My Department will engage with Pobal in relation to this process. The updated HP Deprivation Index, when available, can be considered by my Department to inform future resource allocation to tackle educational disadvantage.
612. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if she will provide clarity on the extent of section 29 appeals during and since Covid in each of the years 2020 and 2021 and to date in 2022, in tabular form, including the number of non-face-to-face versus face-to-face oral hearings which took place during that time; and if she will outline the outcomes of section 29 appeals nationally, disaggregated for non-face-to-face appeals during that time. [55398/22]
View answerI can confirm that as a result of the covid pandemic all physical face to face oral hearings for all appeals lodged to my Department under section 29 of the Education Act were suspended in March 2020.
During the pandemic, appeals lodged to my Department which required an Oral hearing were conducted by teleconferencing with the parties in question.
Following the enactment of section 7 of the Education [ admissions to schools] Act 2018 in November 2020 oral physical face to face hearings are no longer required for certain categories of appeals lodged under section 29 of the Education Act
I am happy to confirm that physical face to face oral hearings as required for appeals lodged under section 29 of the Education Act as amended have recommenced since 17 October this year.
I am also happy to provide the Deputy with the statistical information he has requested.
|
2020 |
2021 |
2022 [To Aug 2022 only] |
|
|
Number of appeals received |
429 |
363 |
243 |
|
Number of appeals allowed / upheld at hearing |
74 |
27 |
13 |
|
Number of appeals disallowed / not upheld at hearing |
154 |
177 |
138 |
|
Number of appeals refused to determine |
19 |
84 |
55 |
|
Number of appeals withdrawn |
154 |
75 |
37 |
|
Local / Facilitator Resolution |
19 |
n/a |
n/a |
|
Upheld in part |
9 |
n/a |
n/a |
613. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the status of the proposal from the NCSE that school principals and or teachers would carry out assessments of the needs of students. [55428/22]
View answerFollowing on from a court ruling in October 2021 there is now a legal obligation on the education system to assist the HSE as part of the HSE’s Assessment of Need Process (AON).
The Department of Education and NCSE have worked intensively to ensure the process put in place adheres to legal obligations arising from the HSE’s AON process and is one that is rooted in existing good practice in schools.
On foot of ongoing engagement the Department and NCSE advised stakeholders last week (27 October) that the trialling process which began earlier this year would continue for the educational component of assessment of need (AON) process which is currently taking place at school level. As is the case of any measure required to comply with legal obligations, the Department engaged with the unions, management bodies and a number of schools prior to the introduction of the trial AON process in schools. Engagement occurred in June to inform unions and management bodies of this process and continued with feedback on the trialling process to stakeholders in September. The Department is committed to ongoing engagement on this process.
This trialling is being led by NCSE and supported by the Department’s Inspectorate and the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). The Department and NCSE are satisfied that the information provided as a result of this engagement will meet the requirements as set out in the AON process.
Work will continue with stakeholders to finalise an education focused AON process.
