Denise Mitchell
Question:662. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied). [16823/23]
View answerSpecial Educational Needs
Questions (662)
Written answers
I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.
It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion providing supports to children and young people with special educational needs and their schools.
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 funding to support children with SEN in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers and special needs assistants.
The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide.
In relation to the student referred to by the Deputy, the NCSE has advised my Department that the local SENO is aware of the situation and has been in regular contact with the student's parent.
During their interactions, the SENO provided the parent with lists of special classes and special schools in the Dublin area. The SENO has also provided suggested schools that may be suitable, including applying to the moderate intellectual disability class at Cabra. The NCSE will continue to support the parent offering advice and assistance with finding suitable placements.
My Department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places for the next school year 2023/2024. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class and special school places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements, consideration of school accommodation capacity and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.
If the recent growth in the need for special classes continues, it is expected that a similar level of new special classes will be needed at primary level over the next three years as have been provided over the last three years. At post-primary level however, it is expected that we will need to double the number of new special classes being provided over the next three years as compared to the last three years.
As both Minister Foley and I announced just last week, 2 new special schools are being established for the 2023/2024 school year - one in Carrigtwohill, east Cork and one in the Dublin 7 area - with additional capacity being provided in 11 other special schools.
The new special school in Dublin will be under the patronage of City of Dublin ETB. It is intended that places in the new special schools will be prioritised for children who have no offer of a special school place for the 2023/24 school year. Details in relation to the location of the new special schools, the admission process and the number of places to be offered for 2023/24 in each new special school will be confirmed very shortly.
The NCSE will work closely with the families of the children and young people concerned to assist them in accessing the new places which will become available during the 2023/24 school year.
Planning for the establishment and opening of the new special schools will begin immediately. This will include a determination of the size of the school required so that the necessary staff recruitment, school policy development and related arrangements can be put in train. This will also include ongoing communication with the families concerned.
For the 2023/2024 school year the NCSE has also sanctioned 218 new special classes nationwide at primary and post-primary level. Of these new classes, 29 are in within the Dublin area. These new classes will bring the total number of special classes in Dublin to 494, 376 at primary and 118 at post-primary. Additional special classes will be sanctioned in the coming weeks.
Information on the list of schools with special classes, the types and locations of these classes are available on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.
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.
Education Policy
Questions (663, 664)
Holly Cairns
Question:663. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the steps she is taking to encourage teachers and SNAs to participate in the summer programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16830/23]
View answerHolly Cairns
Question:664. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the steps she is taking to ensure that enough schools participate in the summer programme to ensure that all eligible children can avail of this support, including any plans for her Department to directly run regional programmes. [16831/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 663 and 664 together.
The Department recently announced details of the 2023 Summer Programme on 9 February 2023. All schools will have an opportunity to run a programme for those children that need it the most.
The central theme for this year’s programme is, ‘Building Confidence and Connections’. The primary aim of this theme is to help our children and young people to realise their potential, to be resilient in dealing with the normal stresses of their lives, to take care of their physical wellbeing and to have a sense of purpose, connection and belonging to their school community.
The main priority in 2023 is that those children with the most complex special educational needs, especially in special schools, should have access to a school-based summer programme.
The terms and conditions for the 2023 Summer Programme are being implemented following a comprehensive review and engagement with education partners and stakeholders since last summer, including the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Autism.
The Department has engaged with management bodies, schools and parents with a view to encouraging more schools to participate in the 2023 programme.
This year, the Department has introduced a new Special School Programme as a pilot initiative to ensure there is a real focus on supporting special schools. This programme has been designed and developed to ensure supports and funding are targeted to enhance the availability of a school-based programme for pupils in special schools.
As part of this pilot, a National Coordinator has been appointed to liaise with special schools to help facilitate them run a programme. This person has also taken a regional focus to support schools who previously didn’t provide the programme to participate this year. This new role will be developed over the coming years to help increase the number of schools to run a programme for children who need it the most.
A series of live recorded webinars directed specifically at encouraging as well as addressing any concerns of Special Schools have recently taken place and are available to view on www.gov.ie/summerprogramme.
In addition, there are two in-school schemes at mainstream primary level and one at post primary.
(a) The Primary School Scheme for pupils in all primary mainstream schools, which provides one cohesive scheme combining the Inclusion programme and special classes from last year, and;
The DEIS expanded literacy and numeracy summer camp/campaí samhraidh for pupils in DEIS schools. This is available to all schools in the DEIS scheme, including those that received their new DEIS status in September 2022.
(b) The Post-Primary Scheme for students with complex special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage. Allocations for the Post-Primary Scheme have been aligned to that of the Primary School Scheme, so that schools have the certainty of the same allocations for special class students as during the regular school year
The following are the key additional supports that will be in place for both schools and teachers/SNAs involved in the operation of the 2023 Summer Programme:
• School Organiser Role - In 2023, instead of preparation hours, there will be a dedicated role of School Organiser in each school offering the summer programme. The School Organiser will receive additional remuneration for their role. This is envisaged to be a key leadership role that will offer development opportunities for staff in schools.
• Summer Programme Manager - In all schools (mainstream and special), the role that was previously called the Overseer will now be called the Summer Programme Manager. This can be the same person as the School Organiser.
• Staff training – This year there will information and training session provided to all schools, including special schools, which will provided guidance and training to School Organisers. This will be facilitated through an online forum by an Education Centre.
• Length of school day - For special schools, the length of the day is being reduced from the full school day to 10am – 2pm but the same daily rate will be paid to staff taking part. This again recognises the challenges associated with running the programme in a special school.
• Flexibility in Weeks - The weeks schools run a programme do not have to be consecutive, the scheme is flexible to allow schools choose weeks which best suit their needs and staff availability.
• Continuation of 2022 supports - Other enhanced measures from last year will continue to encourage schools’ participation, including a Centralised Application Process to reduce admin burden on schools, earlier payment of school staff and an additional capitation to cover the running costs of the scheme, as well as enhanced capitation for special schools.
• Helpline support has been available to schools since the launch of the programme. The online registration portals for Primary, Post-Primary and Special Schools opened on 01 March 2023. Participating schools can request additional resources from the Department to run their programme.
The registration process for schools is currently open until early May, while the home based scheme will be available again and this will be published later in April.
Schools are given flexibility to engage staff that are not currently employed in their schools to support their summer programme. A portal is available for teachers and SNAs to register their interest in working on a school based programme in a special school. This portal is currently live on www.educationposts.ie. An advertisement campaign aimed at recruiting student teachers and students in relevant disciplines such as therapy, social care and nursing and others, including early childcare workers and carers, for the role of SNA is currently being promoted in Third Level Colleges. These students will also be able to register their interest in working on this year’s Programme on www.educationposts.ie.
Another key support being introduced in 2023 is, where a child’s special school is not running a school based programme, a new portal will be available. This portal will allow parents to register their child’s details so that if a place is available in another location, their participation in a program may be organised. This portal is currently in final stages of development by the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) and, when developed, will also be accessible on www.educationposts.ie.
Question No. 664 answered with Question No. 663.
Education Policy
Questions (665, 666)
Emer Higgins
Question:665. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education when DEIS bands will next be reviewed. [16839/23]
View answerEmer Higgins
Question:666. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education to review the use of Eircodes as a method of assigning DEIS status to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16840/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 665 and 666 together.
My Department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential.
Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of the Department to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level in a targeted and equitable way across the primary and post-primary sector.
In March last year, I announced the single largest expansion of the DEIS programme benefiting 347 schools. The programme now includes over 1,200 schools and supports approximately 240,000 students. This means 1 in 4 of all students are now supported in the programme.
This recent expansion will add an additional €32million to my Department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the overall Department of Education allocation for the programme to €180million.
Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme. Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics based model and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools. 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
The DEIS identification process is based on the principle of concentrated disadvantage and the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school. The DEIS identification model aimed to identify those schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage or the highest proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school using the school's enrolment data and national census data as represented by the Pobal HP Deprivation index which is publicly available.
The Pobal HP Deprivation index provides a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a small geographical area, using data compiled from the National Census. It is used by several State agencies for the identification of disadvantage, for example, in order to target resources to communities most in need. The HP index is based on the combination of three components of demographic profile, social class composition and labour market situation. More specifically, measures that are combined in the HP Index are related to demographic growth, dependency ratios, education levels, single parent rate, overcrowding, social class, occupation and unemployment rates. This data is combined with student enrolment data supplied by schools on the school enrolment databases (POD and PPOD), anonymised and aggregated to small area, to provide information on the relative level of concentrated disadvantage present in the pupil cohort of individual schools. Eircodes allow for greater accuracy in identifying the relevant small area where individual students reside and therefore, the HP deprivation index associated with that small area. However the eircode itself is not an indicator; the data is taken from the Census.
The adoption of the HP index for the identification of schools for inclusion in the DEIS programme allows for a consistent approach in the allocation of resources across Departments to combat the consequences of deprivation, whether through education, health or other resourcing models of service provision. A census-based approach to resourcing schools and providing targeted funding to those most in need is used in many other OECD countries. The OECD has noted in its paper “Towards equity in school funding policies” that internationally, the use of census based approaches, provides integrity to the system and reduces the reporting burden on schools.
I am very conscious of the benefits of the DEIS programme. Analysis has shown that since the programme began in 2006, it has helped to close the gap in achievement between schools serving the highest levels of educational disadvantage and those serving populations with little or no disadvantage. It has provided children who come to education at a disadvantage with an equitable opportunity to achieve their potential in education.
The extension of the DEIS programme to new schools is just one component 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 also recognise that there are students at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. Since June 2020, and over the past three budgets, I have secured funding to provide measures to support children in this regard. As part of Budget 2023, I announced over €50 million to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education scheme from next September. The new free primary schoolbook scheme will eliminate the cost of schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks for parents. I have also further improved the staffing schedule for all primary schools to 23:1, the lowest it has ever been.
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, will be considered by my Department to help inform future resource allocation to tackle educational disadvantage.
The next phase of work will consider all schools, within and outside the DEIS programme and explore the overall allocation of resources to schools to tackle educational disadvantage. Part of this programme of work will involve consultation with relevant stakeholders over the coming months.
Question No. 666 answered with Question No. 665.
Education Policy
Questions (667)
Emer Higgins
Question:667. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education if there is a holistic view of special education needs within her Department ensuring that the building unit team and the NCSE liaise with one another; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16843/23]
View answerWritten answers
I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise that my Department is committed, in conjunction with the National Council for Special Education (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.
For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, 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.
Over the last two to three years, my Department and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and provide sufficient special class and special school places. These initiatives include:
• Enhanced arrangements in place, for planning and coordination of Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision requirements using the Department’s Geographic Information Management System (GIS).
• Updated technical guidance for building projects involving SEN provision.
• Future proofing at post-primary level with the incorporation of 4 special classes in all new 1,000 student post-primary schools.
• Strategic engagement with a school patron in relation to SEN provision at its school sites including its post-primary schools in the fee-charging sector.
• Modular Accommodation Framework put in place by the Department in early 2021.
• Expansion of existing planning exemptions for provision of additional accommodation at existing school sites.
• Providing expanded Project Management support to schools.
• Introducing a much-simplified application process for reconfiguration works for SEN.
These initiatives are bearing fruit with over 600 new special classes sanctioned at primary level, almost 300 new special classes sanctioned at post-primary level and five new special schools established over the last three years.
Officials from my Departments Special Education Section, Planning and Building Unit and the NCSE meet on a weekly basis to forward plan for sufficient provision of special classes and special school places. Information is shared by the NCSE on demand for special education provision with my Department on a regular basis. In turn, information on the status of school building projects is shared with the NCSE on a regular basis.
My Department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning for new special classes for the next school year 2023/2024. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements, consideration of available school accommodation capacity, and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.
Just last week, Minister Foley and l announced the establishment of two new special schools as part of a comprehensive update on enhanced education provision for students with special educational needs. These two new special schools will be established in Carrigtwohill, east Cork and Dublin 7 for the 2023/24 school year.
Along with the two new special schools, I also confirmed that 218 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for opening in the coming school year 2023/2024, with more to be confirmed in the coming weeks – 126 at primary and 92 at post-primary level. Also capacity will be expanded in 11 other special schools around the country.
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 appropriate education.
Education and Training Provision
Questions (668)
Emer Higgins
Question:668. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education how many additional post-primary SEN places will be available in the Clondalkin area from September 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16844/23]
View answerWritten answers
I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.
It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my department will spend over €2.6 billion providing supports to children and young people with special educational needs and their schools.
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 funding to support children with SEN in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers and special needs assistants.
The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide.
My Department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places for the next school year 2023/2024. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class and special school places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements, consideration of school accommodation capacity and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.
If the recent growth in the need for special classes continues, it is expected that a similar level of new special classes will be needed at primary level over the next three years as have been provided over the last three years. At post-primary level however, it is expected that we will need to double the number of new special classes being provided over the next three years as compared to the last three years.
As both Minister Foley and I announced last week, the NCSE has sanctioned 218 new special classes nationwide at primary and post-primary level for the coming school year 2023/2024. Of these new classes, 29 are in within the Dublin area. These new classes will bring the total number of special classes in Dublin to 494, 376 at primary and 118 at post-primary. Additional special classes will be sanctioned in the coming weeks.
Information on the list of schools with special classes (including new classes for 2023/2023), the types and locations of these classes are available on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.
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.
School Facilities
Questions (669)
John McGuinness
Question:669. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 551 of 21 June 2022, if she will again request the NCSE to respond to the query (details supplied). [16859/23]
View answerWritten answers
I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of special needs assistants (SNAs) and reviews. 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 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.
In relation to the school in question the NCSE have confirmed that an SNA Exceptional Review was carried out for this school, from 15th to 19th of September 2022.
The NCSE state that the outcome of the review was that the mainstream SNA allocation to the school was increased from 1.75 to 2.33 SNA posts.
Detailed information on the NCSE Exceptional Review process is published on the NCSE website. ncse.ie/application-for-sna-exceptional-review.
The Exceptional Review process for mainstream allocations is available to schools throughout the 2022/23 school year.
Education and Training Boards
Questions (670)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:670. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if the eligibility of a person (details supplied) for the supplementary panel will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16944/23]
View answerWritten answers
The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers.
The criteria, reviewed annually with the Education Partners, are published on the Department website. Circular 74/2022 sets out the arrangements for the Supplementary Panel for the 2023/24 school year.
The teacher referred to by the Deputy has been in contact with my officials and, following clarification of her maternity and parents leave, she has been placed on the Kerry Supplementary Panel for the 2023/24 school year.