Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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209. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether the current bridging method is inappropriate for developing schools given that the current cycle of every two years is a quarter of a student’s life in primary school; if she will consider using a one-year bridging cycle for developing schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29036/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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A new model for allocating Special Education Teachers to mainstream schools was introduced from September 2017, based on the profiled needs of schools.

The allocations were updated for schools with effect from September 2019, with limited readjustments being applied for at that time.

The allocations have remained in place for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 school years, with some adjustments made over the course of the model for schools which achieved developing status, or successfully appealed on the grounds of exceptional circumstances arising in their schools. Allocations are also provided for new schools which open each year.

DES Circulars 007 and 008 2019, stated that the allocations being made for 2019 would initially remain in place for a minimum of two years, following which, revised profiled allocations would be considered for schools from September 2021.

The NCSE Policy advice ‘A Proposed new Model for Allocating Teaching Resources for Students with Special Educational Needs (2014)’ on which the SET allocation model is based, recommended that ‘the additional teaching supports be left in place initially for a two-year period. As the new model becomes embedded in the system, this may be extended to three years.’

In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the Minister for Education and the Minister for Special Education and Inclusion have 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.

Additional allocations will continue to be made for new schools, schools which achieve developing status, or for exceptional circumstances arising in schools, in the interim.

The criteria for qualification for mainstream school developing school posts are set out in the Primary and Post Primary School Staffing Schedule for the 2021/22 school year.

Schools who qualify for additional mainstream developing school posts in accordance with these criteria also qualify for additional Special Education Teaching Allocations to take account of this developing status.

There are now over 13,600 Special Education Teachers allocated to mainstream primary and post primary schools.

This represents an increase of 40% in the total number of special education teachers allocated to schools since 2011, at which time 9740 teachers were allocated.

Maintaining the existing allocations of Special Education Teachers for the 2021/22 school year means that schools will not have to engage in an extensive redeployment of posts, or re-clustering, this year.

It also means that schools will have greater levels of certainty as to the staff that they will have in place for September.

No school will see a cut, or reduction, to their special education teaching support next year.

Where schools have growing enrolments year on year, they will receive an increased allocation, pending the next re-profiling.

Even in circumstances where some schools were anticipating a greater level of increase year on year, if full re profiling had occurred next year, the increased allocations for developing status combined with the existing allocation of the school will show an increased overall teacher allocation for these schools in 2021/22.

The allocations for 2021/22 which are being maintained comprise the allocations which were made for schools from September 2019 plus any additionality achieved since plus any developing hours for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 school years.

It is also acknowledged that there are some circumstances, which may arise in schools, which fall outside the allocations for developing school status.

These relate to exceptional or emergency circumstances which could not have been anticipated e.g. where the school profile changes very significantly, or where other exceptional circumstances have arisen in a school and which may require a review of schools capacity to provide additional teaching support for all pupils who need it in the school, or of their utilisation of their allocations.

A process is available where schools can seek a review of their allocations by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), including the utilisation of their allocations, in circumstances where a school considers that very exceptional circumstances have arisen subsequent to the development of the profile.

If a school wishes to make an exceptional needs review, they may do so at the following link: ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Primary-Schools-Review-Application-2020.doc

Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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210. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the school inclusion model pilot has been completed; when the review of this pilot will be made available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29037/21]

Josepha Madigan (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael)
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The School Inclusion Model (SIM) is based on policy advice from the National Council for Special Education based on the principle of providing the right support at the right time delivered by a range of personnel with relevant qualifications and skill-sets. Its purpose is to help students achieve better outcomes. Independent evaluation is a central part of the project and the outcome will inform future policy on extending the SIM. The project includes a number of elements:

- Provision of in-school therapies (speech and language, occupational)

- Allocation of SNAs on a frontloaded basis

- Additional professional supports for the school including psychology, behavioural and professional development

- Training of SNAs

In February 2019, the Government approved the trialling of the Model for the 2019/20 school year. Initially designed as a one year pilot involving up to 75 participating schools in the CHO 7 region, it was interrupted by Covid-19 with the closure of schools and the diversion of HSE therapists from the project to Covid related work. It was then extended to the 2020/21 school year which has also been interrupted by Covid.

Progress has been made on aspects of the Model but much remains to be done in terms of in-school implementation and evaluation.

As part of the 2021 Budget measures, funding is being made available to extend the School Inclusion Model to two other areas in 2021.

Planning is underway on the arrangements for the continuation and expansion of SIM.