One of those entitled to such hours is nine-year-old Troy. He has cerebral palsy and is in the 4th grade at Grønnåsen School in Bodø. He needs extra support at school. He also has a right to that. Following a municipal decision, the 9-year-old must have a total of 25 hours of extra support each week at school. – He needs a little more time to acquire knowledge, says mum Monica Tangen. But she had a suspicion that everything was not as it should be and wanted to investigate what kind of help he actually got at school. – I asked for an overview of who has given special education, when it has been given and what he has gained from the education. No one could give me that answer. Of course, she has also asked her boy. – When I ask him what he has been doing at school, he replies that he has been out playing in the ballroom, helped cook cauliflower soup or baked muffins. The answer made her uneasy. Fully supported by the State Administrator Tangen decided to appeal the case to the State Administrator. There she has been fully approved. In the decision from January this year, Bodø municipality is ordered to immediately put in place the extra teaching and help the 9-year-old is required by law to have. The school must give Troy 10 hours per week with a special education teacher, 2 hours per week with a specialist in pool or physical education, and 13 hours per week for follow-up and help in other subjects and activities. “The crucial thing is that the solution is in the best interest of Troy, regardless of the financial costs.” – He is entitled to both an assistant and a special education teacher at the same time. The argument from the school has been that we have to choose either or. But now the Statsforvalteren says very clearly that there is a wrong interpretation of the legislation. The assistant will help him with practical things, while the special education teacher will take care of the special education. Initiated inspection of two other schools – Has Troy lacked special education for four years? – In any case, I have not been given any overview of the teaching he has received, so I have every reason to believe that this has been the case all along. Tangen hopes the State Administrator’s decision will provide a better school also for other children who need special education. – I think a lot of people are not aware that their children are not getting the offer they are actually entitled to. The absolute worst thing is that they are deprived of an opportunity to which they are entitled. Mother Monica Tangen says that if Troy gets the right tools in learning, he can go to high school and maybe even further. Photo: Lars-Bjørn Martinsen / news Bodø municipality will not be interviewed about the complaint to the state administrator, but the municipal director for education and culture, Elin Eidsvik, gives the following written comment: “Bodø municipality will normally follow up the state administrator’s decision in cooperation with the student/guardian and the school. The state administrator’s decision is taken into account.” The state administrator in Nordland has also started inspections of two other schools in Bodø in connection with special education teaching following reports of concern from parents. – The State Administrator’s task is to supervise public schools. Earlier in February, we notified Bodø municipality that we will carry out inspections of Alstad secondary school on March 22 and Hunstad secondary school on March 23, where the topic is pupils’ right to special education, says deputy director Gunn Skjerve to news. In a document sent to Bodø municipality, it is stated that the State Administrator must check that pupils who need special education are reported to the PP service, as required by law, and that pupils with a decision on special education receive training in line with the regulations. The municipality confirms that they have received the letter, but says there is not much to comment on until the inspection is carried out. Several thousand hours cut Four years ago, 104,000 special education hours were given in Bodø, now the figure is down to 78,000 hours, figures from the Directorate of Education show. Trond Are Fjordtun in the Nordland Education Association is concerned about cuts in special education classes. Photo: Dina Jeanett Danielsen / news – We are concerned that the students who are entitled to receive special education do not receive it, says Trond Are Fjordtun of the Nordland Education Association. He believes that it is the economy that means that fewer students now receive extra help. – The Bodø school has had to deal with cuts for over four years. Then you have to lower the offer one place. Therefore, there are fewer hours for special education now than a few years ago. Nationally, the trend is different. While Bodø municipality is cutting planned special education hours, it is increasing nationwide. Planned hours for special education with a teacher have increased from 6.8 million hours in the 2019–2020 school year to 7.3 million hours in the 2022–2023 school year. This is shown by figures from the Norwegian Directorate of Education. But the municipality has a plan behind the cuts. Ordinary teachers get the job Municipal director for education and culture, Elin Eidsvik says that there is a project underway on skills development in the municipality, a new way of working with special education. – This is due to systematic work in recent years, called the Competence Lift for inclusive practice and special education in Bodø municipality. It involves schools, kindergartens and PPT. We work in new ways and based on knowledge. She says that the pupils who previously received special education will still receive an adapted offer where they are, either in the nursery or school, together with the professionals there. – So it is ordinary teachers who give them special education? – Yes, or the expertise you have available.
ttn-69
Bodø is cutting several thousand hours of special education in primary school – The Education Association is concerned – news Nordland
