Services and Funding for School Students with Moderate Special Education Needs
Services and funding are available for students with moderate special education needs. This page provides information for students with moderate learning; behaviour and/or social communication; vision; hearing; mobility; or communication needs; and the services and funding that are available for those students.
All schools are funded to meet the needs of all their students. A small number of students have moderate special education needs that may require services in addition to the quality education programmes that enable most of their peers to achieve within the New Zealand Curriculum. These services may be to address difficulties with:
- learning
- behaviour and/or social communication
- vision
- hearing
- mobility and/or personal care
- communication.
Funding for services is allocated by government to various programmes in schools (or groups of schools). In some cases, funding and services are provided by the Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE), or other fundholders of government money. Most services are school-based and all services provided are free.
The first section below lists the services available with a description of:
- who provides the service
- what the service is
- which students it is for
- how the service is managed.
The second section below lists the funding available with a description of:
- what the fund is
- which students it is for
- how the funding is 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 teacher, or the school principal. They can discuss what the school can provide and if there is a need to bring in other services.
If parents have spoken to their child's school and are still concerned, they can talk to a Ministry of Education, National Operations student support manager. They can help parents decide what to do next. Local Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) offices can provide their contact details.
Services
Moderate special education services include:
Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour - (RTLB)
RTLBs are specially trained teachers who work with students with moderate learning and/or behaviour difficulties. They provide advice and guidance to teachers of students at risk of low achievement due to learning and/or behaviour difficulties. Some of these students may have difficulties in using language and appropriate social communication. The RTLBs may provide direct teaching, or demonstrate teaching strategies and behaviour management techniques. They provide learning programmes and behaviour management systems for teachers to use in their regular programmes to help individuals and groups of students.
RTLBs are school-based and may work in just one school or across a group of schools.
RTLB Māori work in Māori education settings such as Kura Kaupapa Māori or Te Reo Māori immersion classes, as well as in regular school settings.
All RTLBs have a management committee to determine which students are on the roll and their priority for service. This committee also manages the Learning Support Funding (see below).
For further information, read the webpage Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour, or a profile of how an RTLB works with students.
Learning Support Teachers
Learning Support Teachers move around a cluster of schools (they are also known as Itinerant teachers). They work with students with significant and ongoing learning needs. The Learning Support Teacher's role (for about half a day per week per student) is to work closely with the student, the student's class teacher and teacher aides to provide a programme to maximise learning outcomes. Students may also access specialist services such as speech language therapy from GSE.
Identification of students for this programme is the joint responsibility of the Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) and RTLBs.
For further information, read about the Supplementary Learning Support initiative.
Resource Teachers: Literacy (RT: Lit)
RT: Lits are specialist teachers who help school staff meet the needs of students in Years 0-8 with reading and writing difficulties. The work of these teachers is funded through the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. Students with special education needs may receive this service.
Referrals to an RT:Lit should be made by a school to the Management Committee for the RT:Lit.
Resource Teachers: Vision (RTV)
RTVs are specialist teachers for students with vision impairments. They are based at regional Visual and Sensory Resource Centres throughout New Zealand. They work closely with the teacher, child, teacher's aide, and the child's family and whānau. Their primary role is to support students to use appropriate equipment and to assist teachers to adapt their teaching.
Read a profile that shows how a Resource Teacher: Vision (RTV) works with students and their families/whānau.
Resource Teachers: Deaf (RTD)
Resource Teachers: Deaf move around a cluster of schools (they are also known as Itinerant teachers). These specialist teachers work with students with hearing impairments. They are attached to either Kelston Deaf Education Centre or Van Asch Deaf Education Centre. Their primary role is to support students to use appropriate equipment and assist teachers to adapt their teaching.
Physiotherapy and occupational therapy (also known as the Moderate Physical Contract)
Physiotherapists and occupational therapists provide therapy and programme advice for students with moderate physical disabilities. These students are usually able to walk, but have difficulties with their mobility and with hand function. They may have special equipment to help them to walk, write and do fine-motor tasks.
In most districts throughout New Zealand this service is provided and funded through the Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE). In some areas, the service is provided through a school.
Find out more about physiotherapy and occupational therapy services provided under the moderate physical disabilities contract
Assistive technology
Assistive technology services provide a wide range of equipment for students with moderate physical and learning difficulties. The service is provided and funded by the Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE). 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 systems.
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.
Speech-language therapy (also known as moderate communication services)
Speech-language therapists provide training for classroom teachers and parents to help identify children with moderate communication problems such as articulation disorders and language delay. The training courses enable schools to run effective language groups using programmes such as Talk to Learn (available in most schools).
Many speech-language therapists are employed by GSE. They do not provide direct therapy to students with moderate communication difficulties, but may assist schools in the initial assessment of students for language programmes, and provide advice and guidance for ways to support the development of a student's communication skills.
Funding for special education services
Funding that goes directly to schools for students with special education needs includes:
Special Education Grant (SEG)
The SEG is a fund to support students with moderate levels of difficulty. Schools set priorities to best meet the moderate special education needs of their students.
The SEG is paid to all state schools to manage as part of their operational funding and is allocated on the basis of a school's roll number and decile rating. The grant may be used to provide staff training, extra teacher aide hours, programmes, equipment or curriculum materials.
Parents seeking further information about the Special Education Grant should speak to the principal at their child's school.
See Managing the Special Education Grant for further information.
Learning Support Funding (LSF)
Learning Support Funding (LSF) assists clusters of schools to meet the needs of students with moderate learning difficulties in collaboration with Resource Teachers: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB). The LSF is managed by RTLB committees.
The funding may be used to provide release time for classroom teachers to meet with the RTLB or to prepare an Individual Education Programme (IEP), for teacher aide time to implement specific programmes, and for additional training for teachers to implement RTLB-led programmes.
Parents seeking further information about Learning Support Funding should speak to the principal at their child's school or local RTLB.
Enhanced Programme Fund (EPF)
Schools with a disproportionate number of students with moderate special education difficulties may be eligible for a supplementary grant called the Enhanced Programme Fund (EPF). The EPF helps eligible schools enhance, refine and/or further develop effective special education programmes. The EPF is for schools with the greatest need nationally.
The EPF Guidelines explain how schools can express an interest in applying for the fund on an annual basis. An application form is also available.
Parents seeking further information about the Enhanced Programme Fund should speak to the principal at their child's school.
Other sources of support may include:
Transport assistance
A subsidy or allowance for travel between home and school (by public transport, private conveyance, taxi or bus) may be paid for students with moderate special needs who need this for mobility or safety reasons. Transport assistance is provided to students who meet the safety and mobility eligibility criteria. The Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) or other fundholders will assess the student to determine their eligibility.
Find out more about transport assistance.
Property modifications
Alterations or additions to school property are funded to enable access for children and young people with moderate special education needs. This could include ramps, rails, and specialised bathrooms. 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 for more information
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. They can discuss what the school can provide and if there is a need to bring in other services.
For more information about Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) funding and services, please