Written answers

Tuesday, 15 November 2022

Department of Education and Skills

Educational Disadvantage

Photo of Eoin Ó BroinEoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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334. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason that special schools are excluded from the DEIS programme; and if this will be reviewed, given the disadvantage experienced by some students attending special schools. [56280/22]

Photo of Norma FoleyNorma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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In March this year I was glad to be able to announce a major expansion of the DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme. This means that, for the first time since 2017, the programme has been significantly expanded to an additional 322 schools. Those schools are now gaining access to targeted supports to address educational disadvantage. This will add an additional €32million to my Department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the 2023 allocation to in the region of €180million.

Schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model, which is an objective, statistics-based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme. The model uses information from the school’s individual enrolment database and 2016 national census data as represented by the Pobal HP Deprivation index. It also took into consideration the significant educational disadvantage experienced by Traveller and Roma learners and by students residing in direct provision or emergency homeless accommodation. A detailed paper on the refined DEIS identification model is available on gov.ie.

Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. Special schools receive significant funding and have been resourced to reflect their particular needs. For 2023, the special education budget will be substantially increased by over 10%, meaning that 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 of Education’s total allocation.

As a result, the number of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and special school places are at unprecedented levels. For the first time ever, we will have over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 Special Needs Assistants. 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.

Staffing ratios in special schools are significantly lower than in mainstream schools and are intended to ensure that the needs of students can be met effectively. These lower ratios generally facilitate greater connection between the schools and families. My Department will continue to engage with special schools, including through representative bodies such as NABMSE, to identify further improvements needed to support their role.

It is important to note that the extension of the DEIS programme to new schools is just one phase of work in my vision for an inclusive education system which supports all learners to achieve their potential. While the DEIS programme supports those schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage, I recognise that there are students at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. Conscious of this and recognising the need to target resources to those schools that need them most, the next phase of work will explore the allocation of resources to schools to tackle educational disadvantage. Part of this programme of work will involve consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

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