Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 May 2021
87. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if additional special education teacher hours will be allocated to a school (details supplied) given that her Department previously recognised the need for increased hours and the fact that the number of pupils attending the school has increased further since that recognition. [24893/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraA new model for allocating Special Education Teachers to mainstream schools was introduced from September 2017, based on the profiled needs of schools.
The allocation model, is designed to distribute the total available level of special educational needs teachers across the school system, based on the relative need of each school, as evidenced by a number of key indicators.
The allocations were updated for schools with effect from September 2019, with limited readjustments being applied for at that time.
When the model was updated with effect from September 2019, a graduated adjustment was applied which meant that a portion of the total adjustments which the re-profiled model would have provided for, was applied to schools. Gains and losses which would have occurred were capped.
For schools which would have gained or lost over 10 special education teaching hours, these gains and losses were capped at 20% of the adjustment which would otherwise have occurred.
The allocation for the school referred to by the Deputy was made on this basis, with additional allocation being made in accordance with the reallocation criteria which was applicable at that time. The school has therefore received its correct allocation, based on this criteria.
There are now over 13,600 Special Education Teachers allocated to mainstream primary and post primary schools.
This represents an increase of 40% in the total number of special education teachers allocated to schools since 2011, at which time 9740 teachers were allocated.
For the coming school year, in order to minimise disruption and upheaval for schools as much as possible in light of Covid-19, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the existing Special Education Teacher Allocations for schools will be maintained for the 2021/22 school year, with re-profiled allocations now due to be made from September 2022.
Additional allocations will continue to be made for new schools, schools which achieve developing status, and for exceptional circumstances.
