Special Education

Deirbhile Nic CraithDirector Education & Research

3 Deireadh Fómhair 2015

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Developments in Special Education

• Policy Advice on the education of children with Autism (2015)

• Educational Experiences and Outcomes for Children with Special Educational Needs: A Secondary Analysis of Data from the Growing Up in Ireland Study (2014)

• Understanding Special Class Provision in Ireland (2014 & 2015)

• Resource hours for all pupils with Down Syndrome• Role of the SNA (Circular 30/2014: NCSE 04/2015)• Delivery for Students with Special Educational

Needs: A better and more equitable way? (New Model) 2

Policy Advice on Provision for Students with ASD

• To review current national and international research literature on evidence-based practices and interventions for the education of children with autism/ASD

• To review, and provide an overview of, current state-funded educational provision for children with autism/ASD, to include early intervention and the extended school year scheme

• To review, with particular reference to educational and social outcomes, the effectiveness of the range of evidence-based practices and interventions for the education of children with autism/ASD.

• To identify the nature and extent of educational intervention/s, teaching practices and other supports which should be provided to enable children with autism/ASD achieve educational outcomes appropriate to their needs and abilities.

• To make recommendations on future arrangements that should be in place, where necessary, to improve the nature, extent, planning and delivery of education to children with autism/ASD

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Educational Experiences of children with SEN

• Educational Experiences and Outcomes for Children with Special Educational Needs (NCSE Research Paper)

• Secondary Analysis of GUI study• Statistical data regarding prevalence– Engagement and attendance: – Attainment / achievement: –Happiness / well-being: – Independence: 4

Some Findings

• Children with SEN liked school less• Lower attendance levels among

children with SEN (especially dyslexia and SEBD)

• Lower scores on Piers-Harris Self-concept scale

• Higher reporting of being bullied• Fewer close friends

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Understanding Special Classes

• Overall aim– To examine and evaluate the operation of

special classes for students with SEN in mainstream education

– Assess the extent to which these classes are meeting the needs of students placed in these classes in context of commitment to inclusion

• Phase 1 - Establishes baseline information about the operation and key features of special classes in primary and post-primary schools

• Phase 2 - Provide a more focussed longitudinal study of special classes which tracks the experiences, progress and outcomes for the cohort of students in special classes

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Special Class Provision – ESRI & NCSE

• 7% of primary schools have at least one special class (750 special classes at primary) [99 new]

• 0.5% of all primary pupils in special classes • 5.1% of pupils with SEN in special classes• 50%+ pupils spend most of their week

in the special class, and 21% all of their week

• Allocation to special class is relatively permanent

• DEIS Band 1 schools more likely to have special classes

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A New Model to Allocate Additional

Teaching Supports to Schools to support pupils with Special Educational Needs

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Overview of Process

• Policy Advice on Supporting Students with SEN in Schools – May 2013

• Establishment of Working Group to devise new model for allocating teaching resources to schools to support students with SEN

• NCSE Consultations – Principals, teachers, unions – September 2013

• INTO Consultation & Submission (policy)– January 2014

• Publication of Proposals re New Model – June 2014

• INTO Consultation & Submission (proposals) – September 2014

• Consultation meetings in DES– October 2014

• Update on progress to date (DES) – Jan 2015

• Minister’s announcement - 10 February 2015

• Schools invited to participate in pilot – June 20159

Report of the Working Group

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Principles

• Core additional teaching support for all schools

• Additional teaching support based on schools’ needs

• Allocation of additional teaching resources for fixed periods

• A mechanism to respond to schools whose profiles change significantly

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New Model Proposals

• No longer a distinction between learning support and resource teachers. All additional SEN teaching supports will be allocated to schools based on their need for such support.

• There will no reduction in the total number of resource / learning support teachers (over 11,000 in 2014-2015).

• Pupils will no longer have a formal diagnosis of a disability in order to receive additional support. Pupils will receive support based on their need rather than category of disability.

• Schools will decide how to allocate the resources they receive.

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Allocation to Schools

• Allocation to Schools

– School Profile Component

– Baseline Component

• Deployment / Utilisation by Schools

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Allocation to Schools (A)

School Educational Profile Component

–Complex special educational needs –Standardised test results –Social context of school

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Complex SEN

• Very significant difficulties in physical / sensory functioning

• Very significant difficulties in cognitive and adaptive functioning

• Very significant difficulties in social communication and social interaction, combined with rigid and repetitive patterns of behaviour

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School Educational Profile

Students with complex educational needs – usually identified by HSE professionals at birth,

at pre-school or at entry to school– Protocols will be developed for transfer of

information from pre-school to primary school– Descriptors will be developed by NCSE, NEPS &

HSE, which will be used instead of categories of disability to describe level of SEN

– 1.5% of population16

School Educational Profile

Standardised test results – English or Irish and Maths– Low achievement - STen 3 or below (16th

percentile)– Small schools with fewer than 15 pupils in

each of the relevant class levels (2nd, 4th & 6th) will be asked to submit information for 3rd & 5th class

– Data aggregated over 3 years to allow trends to be established

– Recommendations on guidance for schools, and CPD for teachers on administering & interpreting test results

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School Educational Profile

Social Context of School– Gender and disadvantage – Number of pupils with EAL (assessed using

kit)– Travellers– Welfare Issues – employment, medical card

– Questionnaire issued to schools to gather social context data (September 2014)

– Census based data collection should become available in the future

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Allocation to Schools (B)

Baseline Component– Provided to every mainstream school (inclusion,

prevention, early intervention)

• 15% of available posts (primary and post-primary)

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Weighting

• Greatest weighting– Complex SEN

• Second greatest weighting– Standardised Test results• Sten 1• Sten 2• Sten 3

• Third greatest weighting– Social Context of School

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Deployment / Utilisation by Schools

• Guidelines for schools– NEPS (identifying & supporting pupils with

SEN) – Set of descriptors to be developed

• NCSE Inclusion Support Service– One unified support service (CPD)

• Responding to exceptional circumstances

• Recording and reporting outcomes– baseline information, goals set, progress

made– Annual report to NCSE (outcomes and use

of resources)

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New Model - Issues

• Weightings unknown• Gathering of information on school social

context • Standardised test results 2014 to be

utilised• Reviews every three years (initially two)• Annual reports to NCSE• Verification processes for school decisions• Appeals• Allocation of resources (NCSE)• Use of Resources (schools)

• Transitional arrangements

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INTO Concerns

• Low baseline• Use of standardised tests results to

determine allocation of personnel• Restricted definition of ‘Complex

Special Educational Needs’• Questionnaire – workload &

guestimates • Demands for annual reporting• Current 15% cut in resource hours

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Merits of Proposal

• Diagnosis no longer required to receive support

• Allocation of resources according to need• Autonomy at school level to determine use

of resources• Commitment to CPD• NEPS – assessments and support for

schools• No distinction between Learning Support

& Resource teachers24

INTO Submission

• Broader Definition of SEN• Increased baseline• Inclusion of Sten 4

• Restoration of 15% cut resource hours

• Additional teachers to meet demographic increase

• Administrative support for schools25

Progress at January 2015

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Progress to date (Jan 2015)

• Completion of Data Collection: – Social Context Survey / Information in relation

to Social Context of Schools – Standardised Test Results/ Junior Certificate

Exam results– Details of Existing NCSE Allocations

• Consideration of Submissions Received from Partners/Stakeholders

• Assessment and Consideration of Data• Development of an Allocation Model in

conjunction with the Educational Research Centre (ERC)

• Testing and validation of Model 27

Components of New Model

• Baseline Allocation• Allocation for Pupils with Complex

SEN• Allocation for Pupils with low

attainment levels in English Literacy (Gaeilge)

• Allocation for pupils with low attainment in Maths / Numeracy

• Allocation for social disadvantage• Allocation for gender

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Components of New Model – System Level

• Baseline Allocation• Allocation for Pupils

with Complex SEN• A model for the complex needs component is

currently being devised by a working group comprising NCSE, NEPS and HSE. This is scheduled to be available in 2016.

• Allocation for Pupils with low achievement (literacy & numeracy)

• Allocation for social disadvantage & gender

• 15% (proportionate)

• 46% (4% of pupils)

• 29% (Stens 1-4)

• 10%29

Current Model v New Model

• GAM / EAL– 4,600 posts– 56%

• Low Incidence Resource Posts– 3,559 posts– 44%

• Total Posts 8,149 (primary)

• Baseline, Low achievers, Disadvantage, Gender– 54%

• Complex SEN– 46%

• Additional Posts30

Issues under Consideration

• Rounding: Instead of making allocations in minutes, perhaps rounding i.e. to 5 hour or 2.5 hours blocks.

• Merging of Posts: GAM/Learning Support/EAL and Resource Teaching support allocations part of the same allocation. Posts to be merged and renamed i.e. SEN Post or SEN Support posts.

• Gaelscoileanna: Consideration as to whether both Irish and English Sten score should be used for the literacy component of the model for schools teaching through the medium of Irish.  

• Floors and Ceilings: Consideration as to whether there should be a limit on the extent of gains or losses a school should get in comparison to their current allocation.

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Current Situation

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Announcement 10 February ‘15

• No change in how additional teachers are allocated to schools to support children with SEN for 2015-2016

• Further consultation to take place• DES to design pilot project• Current system will apply for RT hours • Definitions / Descriptors of Complex SEN to be

developed• Inclusion Support Service– VTS, SESS, NBSS

• Coordination of expanded NCSE (SENOs, ISS & NEPS)

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Pilot Project

• One year pilot –September 2015• Additional teachers for schools due

to gain under new model of allocation

• Schools due to lose teachers will retain

• Greater flexibility in using and deploying additional teachers

• Additional support and guidance from DES inspectorate, NEPS, NCSE / Inclusion Support Service

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Pilot Project

• Training and guidance for principal teachers

• Participation is voluntary • 28 Primary Schools – large, small,

urban, rural, DEIS, non-DEIS• Review of pilot – practical effect of

new allocation model, development and review of guidance and support materials

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Aon Cheist?

dnc@into.ie

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