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

2. 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.

3. Consultation to date
October 2014, January 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Current Provision
Posts allocated to schools for the 2016/17 school year, for Resource Teaching and Learning support ,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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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%

14. 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.

15. 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).

16. 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

17. 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.

18. 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.

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

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

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

22. 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)
hours
NCSE Resource Teaching Allocation (2016/17)
hours
Total Existing Allocation (2016/17)
hours
Total New Model Allocation
hours
Additional New Model Allocation
hours

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

24. 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)
hours
NCSE Resource Teaching Allocation (2016/17)
hours
Total Existing Allocation (2016/17)
hours
Profiled Allocation
22.50 hours
Reduction under Profile if Transition Applied
-11.00
Total New Model Allocation (If Transition Applied)
Hours

25. 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.