Services and Funding for School Students with High Special Education Needs
Services and funding are available for students with high special education needs. This page provides information about students with the highest special education needs and the services and funding that are available for those students.
A very small number (3%) of children are defined as having high needs and meet the criteria for specialist services, usually in the form of individualised programmes and specialist support at school.
These children require significant adaptations at school so they can achieve. Their need may be for adapting the content of the curriculum, and/or for helping them to access learning opportunities.
The services and funding are available through a number of targeted schemes: some schemes are managed solely by Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) district offices and some are delegated to particular schools approved as Accredited Special Education Service Providers (ASESPs). ASESPs are sometimes called "fundholders". All services provided are free.
The following section lists the services and funding available for students with high special education needs with a description of:
- who provides them
- what the services and funding do
- which students they are for
- how the services and funding are managed.
A parent who is concerned about their child's learning at primary or secondary school should talk to their child's classroom or form teachers, or the school principal. These people can discuss what the school can provide and if there is a need to bring in other services.
Speech-language support
(this service is sometimes called the Speech-Language Initiative or Communication Initiative)
Speech-language therapists work with students with severe communication needs who have speech (articulation) difficulties, fluency disorders, voice resonance disorders, language difficulties or significant language delay.
The speech-language therapist may provide support to the student and advise families and teachers about communication programmes. The focus is on students in their first three years of school, although some older students may receive a service.
Further information on speech-language support; or read a profile that shows how a speech-language therapist works with students, and their families/whānau.
Behaviour Support Teams
(this programme is sometimes called the Behaviour Initiative)
Behaviour specialists work with children and young people displaying severe and challenging behaviour that may endanger themselves or others, damage property, or affect their social interactions and learning.
Specialists include educational psychologists, special education advisors, teachers with significant experience in working with students with behaviour difficulties, and behaviour support workers. Team members provide support for teachers, families and whānau.
Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes (ORRS)
The Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes (ORRS) provide resources for a very small group of students throughout New Zealand with severe disabilities in the areas of learning, vision, hearing, mobility or language use and social communication. Most of these students have this level of need throughout their school years and are identified early in their development. Many receive a comprehensive early intervention service before they begin school.
The ORRS provide funding on behalf of individual students for additional teacher time, specialist programmes and therapies, and paraprofessional (teacher's aide) support (where necessary). The funding is managed by each district office of the Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) or an approved Accredited Special Education Service Provider (a school with accreditation to manage ORRS funds).
Each student receives a set amount of additional teacher time. The other resource levels are not pre-determined. Each student receives an allocation of specialist, therapist and paraprofessional time according to their needs. The allocation is determined by the fund managers who respond to each student's needs as identified in their Individual Education Plan. A system, known as 'overs and unders', lets fund managers allocate the appropriate amount of resource to each student while working within an overall budget. This means that students may receive different levels of support over time.
Further information about ORRS, including application forms, guidelines, and frequently asked questions.
High Health Needs
Special education support for students with high health needs is provided through two initiatives, the School High Health Needs Fund (SHNNF) and Regional Health Schools.
School High Health Needs Fund (SHHNF)
This fund provides paraprofessional (teacher's aide) time for students with high health needs so that they can safely participate at school. The fund is for students who require significant care and supervision in the medium or long term (i.e. for more than six weeks). The student's parent/caregiver, health care workers, educators and fundholders agree on the level and type of care required in an Individual Care Plan.
School High Health Needs Fund guidelines and application form. Includes criteria for eligibility, examples of high health needs, and a downloadable application form.
Regional Health Schools
Regional Health Schools are for students with significant health difficulties who cannot attend their local school because they are in hospital, recovering at home, or gradually returning back to school. Teachers work with students both in hospital and at home. New Zealand's three Regional Health Schools jointly cover the whole country and are based out of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.
Further information on Regional Health Schools.
People who work with students with high special education needs may include:
Occupational therapists and physiotherapists
Occupational therapists and physiotherapists provide therapies to students with physical disabilities, and programmes and advice to teachers and families.
Conductors in conductive education programme
Conductors are trained in conductive education and practice an holistic approach to the development of learning, movement, communication and well-being for students with physical disabilities.
Speech-language therapists
Speech-language therapists provide therapies to students with communication disorders and delays, and programmes and advice to teachers and families. They may train teachers, families and students to use assistive technology devices.
Psychologists
Psychologists work with those who need assistance to learn, and those with behaviour, social and emotional development. They provide appropriate psychological and educational assessments, interventions and programmes supported by effective monitoring systems and evaluations.
Special education advisors
Special education advisors work with children with learning and behavioural needs. Advisors also work with class teachers to help adapt their programmes.
Advisors on Deaf and hearing impaired children
Advisors on Deaf children work with children who are Deaf or have severe hearing impairments. They co-ordinate services and advise on appropriate programmes to meet the communication and learning needs of the students.
Orientation and mobility instructors
Orientation and mobility instructors work with students who are blind or who have severe low vision to assist them to move safely around their environments.
Teachers with additional specialist tertiary qualifications in learning, vision or hearing
Teachers gain tertiary qualifications in a particular field of special education. They are employed as itinerant or class-based teachers for students with learning, vision or hearing needs.
Teachers' aides
Teachers' aides provide support for students' individualised programmes based on the Individual Education Plan and under the direction of classroom teachers.
Support workers
Support workers work with children with behavioural and/or communication needs, and provide one-on-one support for students in schools under the direction of therapists, psychologists or advisors.
Other sources of support for students with high special education needs may include:
Assistive technology
Assistive technology services provide a wide range of equipment for students with high sensory, physical and learning difficulties. The service is provided through the Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) national and local offices. In most cases, a speech-language therapist or occupational therapist or special education advisor assists schools to identify students who are eligible for assistive technology. These specialists also provide training for students and their teachers in the best ways to use the technology.
In the education context assistive technologies may include "low-tech" or "light-tech" devices such as a communication board and "high-tech" devices such as complex modified computer-based system.
The use of assistive technology supports students with the Essential Learning Areas and Essential Skills of The New Zealand Curriculum Framework. The equipment provided is neither an end in itself, nor an alternative to other teaching and learning strategies. It is simply a tool.
Find out more about assistive technology services.
Transport assistance
A subsidy or allowance for travel between home and school (by public transport, private conveyance, or taxi or bus) may be paid for students with high special needs who need this for mobility or safety reasons. In many cases, transport assistance applications result from a student's assessment by special education professionals.
Find out more about transport assistance.
Property modifications
Capital works such as alterations or additions to school property enable access for children and young people with high special education needs: these works include ramps, rails, and specialised bathrooms (amongst others). A school works with the Ministry of Education's property division to make the appropriate changes. Parents and caregivers should talk to their local school principal to discuss their child's needs.
Who to contact
A parent who is concerned about their child's learning at primary or secondary school should talk to their child's classroom or form teacher, or the school principal. These people can discuss what the school can provide and if there is a need to bring in other services.
For more information about any of the Ministry of Education of Education, Special Education (GSE) funding initiatives or services, please: