Special Education
Introduction
In addition to funding and staffing provided to all students, there are a
range of programmes, funding and staffing for those with special educational
needs. These are provided directly to
schools, through a fundholder or by
application. The Ministry of Education
website has information about these provisions.
Your local Ministry of Education (Special Education) District Office can
also provide information. District
Offices also have a variety of ways of collaboratively working with schools
and other stakeholders. For local
contact details click here.
Special
Education Grant
The special education grant is paid to schools as part of the operations
grant. The intention is that it should be spent specifically to assist
children with moderate special education needs. The grant is paid on a per
capita basis according to the total roll of the school and varies according
to decile rating. The funding levels can be found in the Funding, Staffing
and Allowances Handbook in schools, also accessible through the MoE website, click here.
Parents should be consulted on the work to be done with their children.
The board must have policy guidelines on how the grant is to be used.
The Education Review Office includes the use made of the grant in its
regular reviews of schools.
The ministry requires an annual report of how the grant has been used.
Therefore, particular care needs to be taken on:
(a) the use of the grant
(b) accurate record keeping
(c) regular reporting.
More information may be found on the TKI website or in Leadspace.
Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Scheme (ORRS)
The ongoing and reviewable resourcing schemes
provide resources for students with very high, high or combined moderate
needs that are likely to be ongoing through their school years.
Early childhood centres and schools apply to the chief verifier at the
Ministry of Education for students to be verified onto the schemes. Parents
or caregivers must be involved in the application process.
Students verified into the schemes generate funding at two levels. This is
calculated as an average amount and is pooled by the fundholder to provide services to meet a student's specific needs. This is intended to
provide any specialist and therapy support and teacher aide time. This is
determined through the individual education plan (IEP).
Cases of students not verified or who are verified high rather than very
high, may be the subject of review or mediation.
A school may request a further review. The request may be for
reconsideration of the original application, or additional evidence, or a
completely new application, as determined by the school and parents.
Appeals against the decision may only be lodged by parents (not schools,
although they may assist) and may lead to independent arbitration. Requests
for information about appeals should be directed to your local Ministry of
Education office.
Schools with ORRS students also receive an
administration and material grant for each verified student.
In addition to funding, ORRS students generate 0.1/0.2 FTTE entitlement
staffing for their school. It should be used specifically to provide
additional teaching for the students generating it.
Resource
Teachers Learning and Behaviour (RTLB)
RTLB are employed by a designated host school and are administered by a
cluster of schools. A small number of
RTLB are employed as RTLB (Maori). They have the same role as other RTLB but focus on the education of
Maori students and often work across clusters.
The RTLB works with individual and/or groups of students, teachers and schools to enhance
learning and modify the behaviour of referred students. Some work with
homes/caregivers will be important.
Severe and Challenging Behaviour Initiative
Most Special Education teams provide advice and specialist support for
students with severe and challenging behaviour. These specialist teams work
with students, staff, homes and community agencies as appropriate.
Communication Initiative
This initiative is designed to:
- remedy
severe communication difficulties of some students (not ESOL)
- improve the awareness and skill level of teachers,
particularly of students in years 0-3, to deal with students who have a
communication difficulty.
Students are referred to GSE speech language therapists for assessment and
treatment. GSE may provide communication support workers to assist the
student between sessions with the therapist.
School High Health Needs Fund
This initiative provides funding for teacher aides for students who because
of their high health needs require help to attend school safely. They have no
special education needs. It is expected that over time the student will be
able to self-manage this high health need.
Schools should refer to the ministry's publication School High Health
Needs Fund for information on criteria and how to make an application.
Applications are made to the chief verifier. Schools and early childhood
centres make the application and must involve the parent and caregiver.
Enhanced Programme Fund
Schools that have a disproportionate number of students with moderate
special education needs can apply for this supplementary grant from the
Ministry of Education.
Supplementary Learning Support
Individual students who have missed out on ORRS support and have
significant, and ongoing, learning needs may be eligible for a teacher
employed for supplementary learning support. Contact the Ministry of Education for further information.
Other
Sources of Information
Your local Ministry of Education (Special Education) office
- Resource
Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) Clusters. Effective Governance,
Management and Behaviour Ministry of Education, October
2001 (under review, 2006)
- Ongoing
and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes, Guidelines
and Application Form for School Students Ministry
of Education, December 2000
- School
High Health Needs Fund, Guidelinese and
Application Form for School Students Ministry of Education June
2001
- Assistive Equipment, Supporting Students with Special Education Needs Ministry
of Education, January 2000
- Meeting
Special Education Needs at School, Information for Boards of Trustees Ministry
of Education, January 2002
- Ministry of Education website http://www.minedu.govt.nz/
