Invitation for submissions on advancing school autonomy

Submission Form

Name / Mary Byrne
Position (if applicable) / Head of Special Education
Organisation (if applicable) / National Council for Special Education
Address / 1/2 Mill St
Trim
Co. Meath
Telephone* / 046 9486475
Email address* /
Date / 27th January 2016

*Subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Acts, this information will not be provided to other parties

Is this response a personal view or is it made on behalf of your organisation?

Personal [ ] On behalf of an organisation [ x ]

KEY QUESTIONS

NCSE’s submission is based upon its policy advice paper on supporting students with special educational needs, published in 2013[1].

  1. In what particular areas of school operations and work do you think autonomy should be advanced?

The NCSE proposed,in 2013, that a new model be developed for the allocation of additional teaching supports to schools for students with special educational needs. Under this model once additional supports are allocated to a school, schools would have responsibility for their deployment, on the basis of identified need. The DES commenced a pilot of this proposed new model September 2015[2].

Benefits

The potential benefits of this proposal for students with special educational needs were outlined in the NCSE’s advice paper (NCSE, 2013)and included:

  • A more equitable resource allocation system
  • Immediate and timely access to additional educational resources
  • Additional support linked to students’ actual levels of need as identified by the school.

Risks

The potential risks were also outlined in the policy advice paperand included that:

  • Parents and schools might not have confidence that the new model would result in an efficient and more equitable system of resource allocation
  • Parents and schools might not have confidence thatthe proposed indicators of special educational needs were sufficiently robust to show real differences between schools for the purpose of allocating resources
  • Some schools might have difficulties in assuming greater responsibility in the deployment of resources.

However, the NCSE considered that the risk attached to maintaining the current system was much greater because it does not provide all students with special educational needs with equitable access to available additional teaching supports which in turn means they do not have equitable access to education.

Lessons from the piloting of these proposals in schools should contribute greatly to the further refinement and development of the model. Following the pilot and when proper monitoring, evaluation and accountability mechanisms are in place, further consideration could be given to thecreation of a single ‘pot’ of teaching posts to DEIS schools with discretion to deploy these posts in accordance with identified school needs and priorities.

  1. What supports are required to ensure that increased autonomy in the areas you have suggested (in your reply to Question 2) works for the good of students and the community? You might consider this for schools, parents, students and the wider community.

Supports required are addressed in detail in the report of the NCSE Working Group[3] set up to develop the proposed new model and include:

  • Supportand guidelines for schools in identifying students with special educational needs and in devising appropriate evidence-informed interventions
  • One coherent service to build the professional capacity of schools to meet the needs of students with additional learning needs.
  1. What checks and balances are required in the areas you have suggested in your reply to Question 2

Every child is entitled to a basic primary education. Students with special educational needs are entitled to an education that is appropriate to their needs. Any increased autonomy must lie within a framework that delivers on these entitlements with checks and balances that ensure this.

In relation to the proposed new allocation model, the NCSE accepted that it would take time to refine and test the details of a new model of resource allocation. We strongly advised that:

  • Sufficient time is allowed for its development and for confidence to build that a new system will be equitable, transparent and efficient.
  • The education partners should be consulted on developing the new model.

In addition, the necessary checks and balances were outlined in the report of the NCSE working group and included:

  • Recording outcomes at school level for students with special educational needs
  • Annual reporting by schools on how the additional supports were utilised
  • External oversight
  • Appeals processes.

Submissions should be returned by e-mail to or by post to

Autonomy Consultation

Central Policy Unit

Department of Education and SkillsDublin 1D01 RC96

by close of business on 29 January 2016.

1

[1]NCSE, 2013. Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools, available at:

[2] Referenced in the Consultation Paper on Advancing School Autonomy

[3] NCSE (2014).Delivery for Students with Special Educational Needs: A Better and More Equitable Way, available on the NCSE website at: