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Learning support in New Zealand schools is at breaking point, and the status quo is failing many vunerable learners, according to a new report. Learning support is for neurodivergent children, or those with disabilities, health needs or experiences of trauma.
Services may include speech language therapists, psychologists, occupational therapists and teacher aides. The report by the Aotearoa Educators' Collective highlights broken funding systems, families battling bureaucracy and children who have extra needs denied access.
An estimated 15-20 per cent of the population is neurodivergent, but only 6-7 per cent of students receive any publicly funded learning support. The report finds Maori and Pasifika students, those attending rural schools and neurodivergent students are most affected by chronic underfunding, fragemented provision and inconsistent access.
Kathryn speaks with report author Dr Sarah Aiono
The Beyond Capacity: Learning Support in Crisis report is being launched at parliament tomorrow - Minister Erica Stanford has been invited.
