Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
359. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the total number of resource teachers employed at primary and at secondary level, distinguishing those in mainstream classes, special classes and in special schools; and the number of children receiving support in each case. [40355/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education 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).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
For 2023, the spend by my department on special education has been 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.
This includes funding to support children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).
In 2023, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 SNAs.
For the first time ever there will be over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 SNAs. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.
Special education teachers provide additional teaching support for students with special educational needs enrolled in mainstream classes in primary and post-primary schools under the special education teaching (SET) model.
The model encourages schools to support students with special educational needs in mainstream classes alongside their peers. Most students with special educational needs are enrolled in mainstream classes; an approach consistent with the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004.
The SET model has been in place since 2017. It was recommended by the NCSE and is designed to distribute the total available number of special education teachers across primary and post-primary schools based on the relative need of each school, as evidenced by a number of key indicators.
It is a fair and transparent way of allocating teaching resources to schools and represents a significant shift in the way that students with special education needs were supported in mainstream classes. Previously, students needing additional teaching support required a diagnosis in order to access support which caused delays in providing the support and also imposed a burden on both schools and parents. The change in policy was welcomed by both schools and parents as the model is based on the principle that those students with the greatest need receive the most support.
When the SET model was introduced it was designed to be updated on a regular basis so as to distribute the total available resources across the school system based on profile of need. As the level of student need may change in a school over time, some schools will gain under this distribution, with these gains balanced by equivalent reductions in schools where the model indicates reduced need.
In general, schools are front-loaded 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.
The model, including the data and indicators used to inform the distribution of special education teacher resources, is currently being reviewed in advance of the 2024/25 school year, to ensure that these valuable resources are allocated fairly and transparently across our primary and post-primary schools. Work is ongoing in relation to finalising the budgetary projections for the 2024/25 school year.
The NCSE who has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of special education teachers have confirmed that as of the 1st of September 2023, 14,393 SET posts have been allocated to mainstream schools. Of these 9,691 are at primary level and 4,702 at post-primary level.
The NCSE has also advised that there are currently 2,920 special classes sanctioned - 2,047 in primary settings and 873 in post-primary settings. These special classes provide capacity for 18,080 (12,654 primary and 5,426 post-primary) students.
Each special class in a primary school is allocated 1 teaching post. Each special class in a post-primary school is allocated 1.5 teaching posts. Therefore, there are 2,047 teaching posts allocated to special classes in primary schools and 1,309.5 teaching posts allocated to special classes in post-primary schools.
In regard to special school settings, there are 130 special schools nationwide, incorporating 120 special schools, 7 hospital schools and 3 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) schools. Of the 120 special schools catering for approximately 8,530 students, there are 1,381 teaching posts allocated.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
