In-Class Support funding for students with ongoing learning needs
In-Class Support (ICS) funding makes a contribution towards providing a teacher aide for students with continuing high learning needs, who are not funded through the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme (ORS).
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Learn about In-Class Support funding, including who the funding is for, how it works and more.
Who is In-Class Support for?
ICS is for students:
- in Years 1 – 13
- who have been prioritised by schools, Ministry Learning Support teams, and the Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) service as having the most significant learning needs.
Many of these students are achieving within Level 1 of the curriculum for an extended period of time.
How does the funding work?
ICS is managed by the Ministry Learning Support teams in the local Ministry offices. For 2019 the total number of students receiving In-Class Support was 4,000.
ICS is allocated to students for the school year, and remains with each student even when a student changes schools.
The funding is paid to schools and contributes to teacher aide support for each of the identified students.
The support is likely to differ for each student, and for each school.
Additional support
When the needs of students are beyond what the school can provide for by utilising existing school supports, schools may access support from the Ministry Learning Support teams and/or the RTLB. These specialists then work alongside the whānau and teachers of these students to develop learning plans.
A teacher aide is a valuable, extra resource in the classroom. Their time and role is directed by the classroom/subject teacher, who is the expert in teaching and learning.
Teacher aide time supports students to be fully engaged in their learning alongside their peers and improves students' presence, participation, and educational outcomes.
The Ministry has published resources to encourage schools to make the best use of teacher aide support in inclusive environments.
Teachers and Teacher Aides Working Together website(external link)
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