Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 2 February 2017
134. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which resource hours are to be allocated to primary and post-primary schools as per changes to the scheme announced recently; if the new arrangements will take into account scenarios whereby a school intakes additional students requiring resource hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5024/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that on 18 January last, I announced that a new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post primary schools will be introduced from September 2017.
I also announced that an additional 900 teaching posts will be provided to support the introduction of this new allocation model.
This substantial additional provision will ensure that:
- Up to 1,000 schools will receive additional allocations, where the new model indicates additional need.
- No school will receive an allocation of resources less than the allocation they received in the 2016/17 school year.
The provision of an additional 900 teaching posts is a very significant investment in the provision of teaching support for pupils with special educational needs in our schools.
It will ensure that all schools receive a sufficient allocation of special education needs resources to provide additional teaching support to all pupils in their school who require such support.
Under the new allocation model schools which will be provided with total allocation which includes a baseline allocation for the school and an allocation based on the school profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation will give a fairer allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the actual level of need and pupils in each school.
Schools will be frontloaded with resources, based on each schools profile, to provide supports immediately to those pupils who need it without delay. This will reduce the administrative burden on schools as schools will no longer have to complete an application process annually and apply for newly enrolled pupils who require resource hours.
Children who need support can have that support provided immediately rather than having to wait for a diagnosis.
Schools will therefore no longer have to make applications, for newly enrolled pupils for whom resource teaching hours may have been provided under the old model, as school will now a single allocation for all of their special education teaching needs, based on their school size and profile.
It should be noted that this is a brand new model of allocation and is not comparable to the existing model. By using a broad range of attainment and socio-economic criteria, it is expected that generally, a school’s profile will remain relatively constant from year to year. Each year, some students with additional teaching needs will leave and others will enrol, broadly balancing the school profile. Resources allocated under this model will not normally be adjusted between allocations.
The model will, however, allow for some exceptionality for exceptional circumstances or where a school’s enrolment levels increase very substantially prior to the next review of the model. The Inclusion Support Service, established under the National Council for Special Education will support schools in managing their special education teaching allocations in the first instance. Only in very exceptional circumstances, where it can be demonstrated that the schools profile has changed very significantly since the allocation was made to the school, may an additional allocation of hours be made to the school.
