Schools fail ERO test on special needs kids

School children with special needs are being funnelled into one-size-fits-all programmes that fail to address their individual learning problems.

An Education Review Office report on how well schools use funding for special needs students is also critical of those that run programmes "contrary to good practice in special education".

"Of particular concern to ERO was that many schools fitted students, irrespective of their needs, into predetermined programmes ... instead of designing programmes to fit individual student needs," the report said.

The special education grant was introduced in 1997 as a Government initiative to support students in mainstream schools with moderate special educational needs.

The report looked at 180 schools and found a "very wide distribution of performance, from highly effective to ineffective".

It said that though some schools used the funding to make a positive contribution to student achievement, many had poor assessment practices for identifying moderate special educational needs, and a narrow focus on literacy needs and programmes.

"The narrow focus of most activities on literacy may have meant that some students with moderate special educational needs other than literacy, including physical, social or emotional needs or intellectual disability, have not received the support they needed," the report said.

Colin Tarr, head of the primary school teachers union NZEI, said educating children with special needs required more than "just giving schools a quantum of money and leaving them to get on with it".

Schools were generally doing well with the funding they received, but there were some "significant questions as to the adequacy of the funding".

"It's essential that every school has the core resources it needs to ensure special needs students are given an equitable education," Mr Tarr said.

The amount of money allocated annually to special needs education has increased from $13.9 million in 1997, to $29 million in 1998, to the current allocation of $38.84 million in 2005.

The Government is reviewing the amount it gives to schools through the operations grant.

The level of special education funding will be looked at as part of that review.

The ERO report said schools would also benefit from more advice, support and guidance from the Ministry of Education.

And schools themselves needed to develop a better understanding of the purpose of the special education grant. Staff and boards of trustees also needed more knowledge of assessment and teaching practices that enhanced learning among diverse student groups.

The study was carried out between October 2004 and April this year. Principals, board members, staff and parents were interviewed.

A separate review of ongoing reviewable resourcing schemes, which provide resourcing for students with a higher level of special needs, found that most schools were using them effectively to improve results.

A $39m priority

* An estimated 4 to 6 per cent of school-age children (30,000 to 45,000) have moderate special needs.
* They are students with learning, behaviour, and/or communication difficulties, or even minor physical and sensory disabilities.
* The special education grant is paid to all mainstream schools, which decide how to best cater for their special needs students.
* Commonly it is used for teacher aides, adapted programmes or learning environments, equipment or curriculum materials.
* The Education Review Office says it is too often used simply for reading recovery and schools are failing to assess the needs of their students properly.