DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools set out the details of the model for allocating special education teachers to schools. DES Circulars 007 and 008 of 2019 set out how the allocations for schools are being updated from September 2019.
The Special Education Teacher allocation process provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.
Under the allocation model, schools are provided with a total allocation for special education needs support based on their school profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation is designed to 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 in each school.
In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the Minister for Education and the Minister for Special Education and Inclusion have agreed to maintain the existing Special Education Teacher Allocations for schools 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, or for exceptional circumstances arising in schools, in the interim.
The criteria for qualification for mainstream school developing school posts are set out in the Primary and Post Primary School Staffing Schedule for the 2021/22 school year.
A process is available where schools can 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, they may do so at the following link: https://ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Primary-Schools-Review-Application-2020.doc
In relation to your query regarding the use of non-mainstream teachers to cover an absence, circular letter 45/2020 sets out that sequence for a school to access substitutes. The aim is to get a substitute firstly from:
- a supply panel,
- the school’s own panel of regular substitutes or
- from the ‘Text a Sub’ portal.
When these arrangements have been exhausted and a substitute is still needed in an emergency situation to protect the class bubble, it is outlined in the circular that a school can use other non-mainstream teachers to cover the absence.
This arrangement is an interim measure and the school must continue to seek a substitute to cover the absence. It is only in these types of instances that the school can use other non-mainstream teachers.
Schools should seek to minimise the amount of times that SET teachers are used for substitution purposes and keep a record of such instances. The SET should also not be used to cover long term absences.
Any loss of special education teaching support by students should be made up at the first available opportunity by employing additional teaching resources to make up for the shortfall. Hours accumulated in any given school year must be utilised in the same school year and there is no facility to carryover hours from one school year to the next.
Special education teachers may only be used as a substitute in an emergency as outlined above.
