Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 February 2023
163. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education the allocation of resource hours and supports for schools under the National Council for Special Education that are for the 2023-2024 academic year; when these resources will be made known to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4937/23]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for his question and would advise the following.
Special Education Teachers (SET) provide additional teaching support for students with special educational needs enrolled in mainstream classes in primary and post primary schools.
The Special Education Teaching allocation model provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.
The model encourages schools to support students with SEN in mainstream classes alongside their peers. In fact most students with SEN are enrolled these classes.
In April 2022, the Department issued updated staffing allocations for the 2022/23 school year to include SET allocations. This ensured that schools were aware of their teaching resources and this allowed them to make the necessary arrangements to ensure that the teaching and learning needs for pupils with SEN can be properly supported.
The next scheduled updating of a schools profile is in 2024 for the allocation for the 2024/25 school year.
In the intervening period to the next scheduled re-profiling should a school believe that there has been a changed of a significant or unexpected extent in their school’s profile they may apply to the NCSE for a SET Exceptional Review.
