Carl Bates says schools can determine how they use LSCs. Photo / 123rf
Most primary schools in Whanganui will have learning support coordinators next year, but concerns remain about whether they will fill all gaps.
On September 5, Education Minister Erica Stanford announced that 1451 schools would have access to learning support coordinators (LSCs) from term one next year.
Teachers, principals, and parents had “been crying out for this support”, she said in a statement.
“A dedicated staff member who can screen for common neurodiverse needs like dyslexia and put strategies in place will give teachers more time to focus on what they do next, quality teaching in the classroom.”
Keith Street School principal Linda Ireton said the school would receive 0.35 FTTE (fulltime teacher equivalent) for an LSC next year - “one and a half days a week”.
What the LSC’s role would entail at Keith St was still to be decided, she said.
“There’s just so much. To put it in perspective, I’ve made four ORS [Ongoing Resourcing Scheme] applications this year, and I’ve got more to do. They can take days, weeks.
“There could be referrals to a public health nurse or other agencies of support for whānau, spending time with whānau around the needs of their child, and, I would imagine, getting into classrooms and supporting teachers.”
Stanford said the previous government introduced LSC roles, but only delivered one tranche of funding, resulting in significant inequities.
Ireton said Whanganui had gone several years without LSCs.
“There should be allocated staffing to every school, because it makes planning to the needs of your own schooling community much easier.
“That’s a really great move, and we’re excited about it.”
Her only concern was that LSCs were school roll-based.
“A school like ours has a high percentage of students on the SENCO [Special Education Needs Coordination] register, but a smaller roll than perhaps a low-equity index school, or, in the old days, a high-decile school.
“The high-decile school will get more FTTE for a learning support coordinator. I’m glad for them but sad for us.
“We will still have a lot of work to do without the FTTE for it.”
Churton School principal Cara Barron said an LSC would be at her school in 2027, at 0.25 FTTE.
“It’s interesting how quickly we’ve been expected to adapt to curriculum change and new assessment practices, and yet, any real practical support in the classroom will be a year and a half to two years away.”
Barron said she hoped an LSC would be an experienced teacher with additional qualifications, who would work alongside the children.
Resource teachers of literacy (RTLits) will have their roles disestablished at the end of the year, part of the Government’s reinvestment of funds into areas such as LSCs.
Whanganui’s RTlit, Nicky Collins, said a well-trained LSC with advanced expertise in learning and behaviour needs had the potential to make a meaningful impact in schools.
“However, there are several pressing concerns,” she said.
“Where will these highly specialised educators come from, given the existing nationwide teacher shortage?
“Secondly, developing the required level of expertise will take considerable time.”
Collins said the disestablishment of RTLits and Resource Teachers: Māori left a significant gap in access to specialist literacy support.
“This gap is likely to place even greater pressure on Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB), who are already operating at capacity.”
Whanganui MP (National) Carl Bates said the vast majority of schools in the district would have an LSC next year, including Tawhero, St Anne’s, St Mary’s, Whanganui East, Westmere, Okoia, Whanganui Intermediate, and Rutherford Intermediate.
He said there had been an increase in the number of teacher registrations for the first time in over a decade.
“This allocation of FTEs is up for the principal and school leadership to determine how they want to use it. It’s not prescribed.”
He said Whanganui principals he had spoken to were considering options such as combining the LSC with an existing part-time role, recruiting a teacher currently out of the workforce, or forming a cluster with other schools for a fulltime role.
Carlton School will receive an allocation of 0.53 FTTE next year.
Principal Gary Johnston said the initiative had “the potential to be fantastic”, but it would depend on who the school could find to fill the role.
“There is some scope in how you use them, and there is also professional development around it, which I think is essential.
“Basically, I think we’ll be upskilling very competent teachers.”
He said he saw the role having two facets - face-to-face teaching and learning with students who required more support, and working with teachers to provide advice and guidance.
“There is conservative positivity. It’s a good idea, let’s see how it works.”
Bates said LSCs were an example of how reprioritised spending and effective investment delivered “real outcomes for our students”.
“At the end of the day, education should be focused on our children and their learning.”
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily Whanganui District Council.