Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 February 2022
293. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure there are no cuts to the upcoming special education teaching allocation hours for a school (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10537/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Special Education Teaching allocation 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 have been 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 fair 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 level of need in each school.
In order to minimise disruption for schools, due to the Covid pandemic and to provide for continuity of allocations, the Minister for Education and the Minister for Special Education and Inclusion 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.
Schools are frontloaded with resources, based on each school’s profile. The allocations to schools include provision to support all pupils in the schools, including where a child receives a diagnosis after the allocation is received by a school, or where there are newly enrolling pupils to the school.
Both the Department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which their school profiles have been calculated
