"It's a contribution towards where we need to be, it's better than what we've got at the moment, but it's not as far as we need it to go," he said.
"I'm being realistic that hopefully they'll be looking at education a bit stronger in the next 6 – 12 months."
Because of funding restraints, Dibben is also the Senco at his school.
"The funding that we do have goes to the students and teachers that we have in the classrooms," he said.
"One of the things we're looking at as the New Zealand Principals' Federation is making a Senco career path that people could follow."
The survey asked Sencos if they would be interested in obtaining a Senco specific formal qualification and 61 per cent said they would be if it was fully funded with release time.
48 per cent of respondents said that they do not get any release time for their Senco responsibilities which was an increase of 29 per cent from 2016.
"If it did become a career path, first of all, they'd be reimbursed appropriately for the role that they have," Dibben said.
"Also, there would be a certain amount of funded equivalent teacher time dedicated to the role, above and beyond what schools already get."
Dibben said that the survey was quite reflective of what is happening in New Zealand, but it did not necessarily reflect the status of Whanganui.
"The number of children identified on the special needs register nationwide is alarming, but it would be neat to have some of that survey information broken down by region.
"One of the major issues locally is the number of students that are entering school that have limited or no resource or even identification prior to entering school."
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern recently announced an extra $21.5 million would be provided for early intervention in behaviour, learning, and speech and language support for children under 5.
"If that identification and support can be given in the early childhood sector, it's going to make a huge difference when they do enter school," Dibben said.
"Let's be honest, we could always do with more money to support kids."
Throughout New Zealand there are 40 clusters of resource teachers of learning and behaviour (RTLBs) and they coordinate one Senco meeting every term.
At Tawhero School these meetings are attended not only by RTLB and Senco staff, but Ministry of Education support staff, a child health nurse and a school social worker.
Dibben said that they were lucky to have their cluster.
"The feedback that we get, not only from the education review office who came and did a review on us, but from the locals, is that the RTLB service is really effective.
"The Senco role is important in a school, it's vital and it has got to be beyond the classroom teacher to co-ordinate all of it."
