David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 453: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason for her Department's decision to allocate differing pupil teacher ratios to boys, mixed and girls schools and disadvantaged schools in relation to the deployment of special educational resources in view of special education circular SP ED 02/05 of August 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23337/06]

David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 454: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way in which her Department calculates the deployment of special educational resources pupil teacher ratios for primary schools who have mixed classes up to first class and then become a solely girls school, given that differing pupil teacher ratios apply in view of special education circular SP ED 02/05 of August 2005. [23338/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 453 and 454 together.

In light of the reality that pupils in the high-incidence disability categories of mild and borderline mild general learning disability and dyslexia are distributed throughout the education system, my Department, in consultation with educational interests, developed a general model of learning support/resource teacher allocation to schools to support students in these disability categories.

The model was constructed so that allocations would be based on pupil numbers, taking into account the differing needs of the most disadvantaged schools and the evidence that boys have greater difficulties than girls in this regard. The logic behind having a general allocation model is to reduce the need for individual applications and supporting psychological assessments, and put resources in place on a more systematic basis, thereby giving schools more certainty about their resource levels. This will allow for better planning in schools, greater flexibility in identifying and intervening earlier with regard to pupils' special needs, as well as making the posts more attractive to qualified teachers.

The advantages of using a general allocation model are as follows: It facilitates early intervention as the resource is in place in the school when the child enrols; it reduces the need for individual applications and supporting psychological assessments; it puts resources in place on a more systematic basis, thereby giving schools more certainty about their resource levels. it gives more security to special education teaching posts and makes special education teaching a more attractive option; it allows flexibility to school management in the deployment of resources, leading to a more effective and efficient delivery of services; it will automatically adjust a school's general allocation on the basis of changing enrolment.

This is a model for resource allocation to schools. These resources may in turn be allocated, as appropriate by schools to those pupils with special educational needs in the categories mentioned and to pupils with learning support requirements.

Staffing levels under the general allocation model are allocated on the basis of the following categories of school: Larger schools: Differing pupil teacher ratios apply to boys' mixed and girls' schools; schools for boys with 135 pupils or more get their first post at 135; second post at 295; third post at 475, fourth post at 655, and so on. Mixed schools with 145 pupils or more get their first post at 145; second post at 315; third post at 495; fourth post at 675, and so on. Schools for girls' with 195 pupils or more get their first post at 195; second post at 395; third post at 595; fourth post at 795, and so on. All designated disadvantaged schools get their first post at 80; second post at 160; third post at 240; fourth post at 320, and so on.

It should be noted that schools qualify for a pro rata part of a post for pupil numbers below the enrolment point for the first post and between the first and second post, the second and third post, and so on. Small schools: To ensure that small schools are not disadvantaged by the introduction of the general allocation model, the point at which smaller schools can appoint their first post is significantly reduced. For the purposes of the general allocation model, a boys' school is considered to be small if it has an enrolment of fewer than 135 pupils, a mixed school is considered to be small if it has an enrolment of fewer than 145 pupils, and a girls' school is considered to be small if it has an enrolment of fewer than 195 pupils.

Small schools for boys will qualify for their first post at 100 pupils; small mixed schools will qualify for their first post at 105 pupils; and small schools for girls will qualify for their first post at 150 pupils. However, no additional general allocation will be made to small schools for boys on the basis of an enrolment between 100 and 135, to small mixed schools on the basis of an enrolment between 105 and 145, or to small schools for girls for an enrolment between 150 and 195.

For the purposes of this model, my Department categorises schools that had an enrolment of at least 30 percent boys in the 2003/2004 school year as a mixed school with the allocations in accordance with the ratios for mixed schools above, otherwise the ratios for girls' schools is used. The ratio for schools designated as disadvantaged for the general allocation is 80:1 irrespective of the gender breakdown of the enrolment.

Additional resource teacher support to schools in respect of pupils with low-incidence special educational needs are made on the basis of applications, supported by certain professional assessments and recommendations, to special educational needs organisers, officials of the National Council for Special Education.