Consultation with Disability Representative Bodies 13th January, 2017 DELIVERY FOR STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS __________________ Development of a New Resource Teaching Allocation Model 1

Todays Discussion To provide an update in relation to plans for the introduction of the new model for allocating Special Education Support teachers to schools.

Consultation to date October 2014, January 2015 - education partners and representative bodies. During consultations, a number of bodies had proposed a pilot, prior to full implementation of the model. May 2015 – Partners and Bodies on the Pilot 2015/16 – ongoing with Pilot schools and Partners

Budget Announcement October Budget – announced new model from September 2017.    An additional €18 million is provided in 2017 to provide for around 900 resource teacher posts.  It was also advised that details of the new model would be announced in the coming months

Schedule of outstanding actions  Publication of Report of Review of Pilot Scheme (January 2017)  Announcement of Details of New Allocation Model (19th January)  Schools will be advised that the NCSE Low Incidence Application process for 2017/18 will not proceed, as the new model will be introduced (SNA applications will proceed)  Issuing of new Circular and Guidance Materials for Schools (End January – Will Circulate to Partners in advance  Allocations made to Schools (end January) Schools advised of details of Appeal Process  Publication of additional support materials for parents and schools

Current Provision Posts allocated to schools for the 2016/17 school year, for Resource Teaching and Learning support - 12,501 Breakdown *Includes 700 posts for High Incidence (Mild) Special Needs All of these posts will be redistributed under the new model reallocation process. Sector Primary Post Primary Total GAM/LS 4330 742 5072 NCSE RT 4352 3077* 7429 8682 3819 12,501

Distribution A better more fair way, recognising differing learning support need in schools The model redistributes the overall pool, with gains balanced by losses With no additionality - some schools lose while those with greater need would gain resources. The additional 900 posts from budget 2017 will help to ensure that no school is disproportionately effected on the introduction of the new allocation model Schools will receive allocations based on their individual school profiles

Benefits for Schools and Parents Schools or parents will no longer have to wait for assessments for children to receive supports.   Children who need support can have support provided immediately rather than having to wait for a diagnosis. Gives greater autonomy to schools to allocate resources to the pupils who most need these resources, regardless of their diagnosis. Schools frontloaded with resources, based on each schools profile, to provide supports immediately to those pupils who need it without delay. Certainty to schools about their allocations for the coming years It will reduce the administrative burden on parents and schools.

Benefits for Schools and Parents A baseline allocation based on school size and profiled allocation will give a fairer allocation for each school which takes into account the actual level of need and pupils in each school.   The model enables NEPS psychologists and HSE professionals to focus more on support for schools and assessment for intervention and review, rather than assessment for resource allocation. The new model will provide a very significant number of additional Special Needs Teachers to be allocated to schools from September 2017 to support the new model. Schools have discretion to provide support to pupils based on their individual needs as opposed to by disability diagnosis.

Findings of Pilot  Schools sought to utilise their resources as effectively as possible to support pupils  Schools were willing to try new ways of working and engage with support services  Many very good and innovative practices are already occurring in schools.  The guidance for pilot schools, which recommended a new way of distributing resources, from the overall allocation for schools reflected much good practices already taking place in schools  Gives schools confidence to work in new ways.

Findings of Pilot  Schools welcomed the increased flexibility and autonomy to deploy resources based on need  Most schools feel the model allows more scope for team teaching, targeted interventions, mix of in-class and group work, with less focus on withdrawal and 1:1 teaching  Schools welcome the move away from labelling and the fact that they do not need to wait for diagnosis  The move away from diagnosis allows for more early intervention based on need

School Profile School profiles under the new model are composed of :  Baseline component provided to every mainstream school to support inclusion, prevention of learning difficulties and early intervention Students with Complex Special Educational Needs Percentage of students performing below a certain threshold on standardised tests/state exams The schools social context which includes educational disadvantage Gender

Baseline The Baseline allocation of the school profile is made up of 20% of the total number of Resource/Learning Support posts allocated to schools for the 2016/17 school year, redistributed equally between schools based on each school’s most up to date enrolment numbers (2015/16). During consultations many partners felt 15% Baseline too low. Increased to 20%

Complex Needs On introduction, NCSE ‘low incidence’ allocations for each school will be used to establish the complex needs component for each school.  This means that no school will receive an allocation for the support of pupils with complex needs which is less than the allocation they had from the NCSE in 2016.  This also means that no pupil who had previously been in receipt of an allocation for low incidence Special Educational Needs has been excluded from the complex needs component of the introduction of the new allocation model.

Complex Needs Maintaining the existing low incidence allocations means that approximately 50% of the profiled allocation will be used for the complex needs component at primary school level (60% at post primary as difference between low incidence and learning support is greater).

Remaining Redistribution 20% posts used for Bassline 50% (approx.) primary 60% post primary used for Complex Needs 30% remaining for redistribution at Primary school level and 20% remaining for redistribution at Primary school level The balance is applied based on School Standardised Test Results and Social Context

Standardised Test Results The Working Group recommended that for the purposes of devising a school’s educational profile standardised test results data for mathematics and for Irish or English should be used to represent pupil capacity in literacy and numeracy. At post primary school level Junior Cert maths and English results will be used.    This will ensure a school’s educational profile includes students with low achievement in reading and numeracy students whose special needs affect their achievement levels, including those with general and specific learning disabilities.  The use of standardised test data will provide a better allocation as it looks at not just the number of pupils in the school, but also the learning needs of the pupils, as evidenced by attainment levels.  The portion of the overall resources being provided for Standardised test results under the school profile equates to approximately 22 % of the total allocation for primary schools and 13% at post primary school level.

Social Context Approximately 4% of the total profiled allocation for primary schools is being provided to provide some part of the allocation for disadvantage. (Social Context Survey Data 2014) and 4.8% of the total profiled allocation for post primary schools (Exam fee exemptions). Approximately 4% of the total profiled allocation for primary schools is being provided to provide some part of the allocation for gender and 2.6% at post primary school level (Enrolment Data). This will vary between schools, depending on the social context of each school.

Overall Profile: Primary Though individually school profiles will vary, the total allocation for primary schools will be:

Overall Profile: Post Primary Though individually school profiles will vary, the total allocation for post primary schools will be:

Examples of Allocations for Individual Schools School A: Gaining School Old model: 17.225 Hours New Model: 27.500 hours Profile:

Examples of Allocations for Individual Schools School A: Gaining School: School has additional capacity though additional allocation under profile School Name 2017/18 School Year GAM/Learning Support Allocation (2016/17) 10.000 hours NCSE Resource Teaching Allocation (2016/17) 07.225 hours Total Existing Allocation (2016/17) 17.225 hours Total New Model Allocation 27.500 hours Additional New Model Allocation + 10.275 hours

Examples of Allocations for Individual Schools School B: Non Gaining School Old Model 33.5 Profile 22.5 Allocation = 33.5 School Profile:

Examples of Allocations for Individual Schools School B Non gaining School but protected. School has additional capacity above profile School Name 2017/18 School Year GAM/Learning Support Allocation (2016/17) 25.000 hours NCSE Resource Teaching Allocation (2016/17) 08.500 hours Total Existing Allocation (2016/17) 33.500 hours Profiled Allocation 22.50 hours Reduction under Profile if Transition Applied -11.00 Total New Model Allocation (If Transition Applied) 33.500 Hours

EPSEN It is intended to bring into effect many of the good ideas contained in the EPSEN Act, on a non-statutory basis initially, through policy developments across a range of areas, in conjunction with NCSE policy advice.