When qualified personnel are available, schools with ORRS verified students may transfer their staffing entitlement directly to KDEC. This ensures the child’s specialist teaching component is provided by a trained specialist teacher and also secures continuity of that service.

What is ORRS?

The schemes provide individual funding for a very small group of school-age children and young people who have the highest special education needs.

There are two parts to ORRS - the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme and the Reviewable Resourcing Scheme.

The Ongoing Resourcing Scheme

Most children who receive ORRS funding will have the same level of need throughout their school years and are included in the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme.

The Reviewable Resourcing Scheme

Some children are initially included in the Reviewable Resourcing Scheme for three years because it is not clear whether they will need this level of help throughout their schooling. At the end of three years some of these children will move onto the Ongoing Resourcing Scheme and others will receive assistance in a different way.

Who is ORRS for?

Children are included in ORRS when they meet at least one of nine criteria. They must have significant educational needs that arise from extreme or severe difficulty with any of the following:

- learning
- hearing
- vision
- mobility
- appropriate social communication and use of language

Information about the nine criteria can be found in the Ongoing and Reviewable Resourcing Schemes Guidelines. Look in the Special Education pages on the Ministry of Education webite at www.minedu.govt.nz

Almost all children eligible for ORRS will be identified in their early childhood years through early intervention programmes.

How to apply for ORRS?

An adviser on Deaf children (AODC) fills out the application form with help from teachers, parents, specialists, therapists and others who know the child well.

An application is made using an ORRS application form which is available online at www.minedu.govt.nz

Applications can be made for children three months before they enrol in school.

The completed application form is sent to the Ministry of Education, Special Education National Office for consideration by a team of verifiers who determine whether the needs of the child meet any of the ORRS criteria.

The teacher and the parents are informed of the decision in writing.

What does ORRS provide?

ORRS funding is provided in addition to other school funding.

If a child meets the ORRS criteria, the school will receive additionalo teacher time and a standard grant for some materials (for example visual resources and reading material). The ORRS funding pool is also used to purchase specialist expertise (e.g. speech language therapy or occuptional therapy) or teacher aide support as identified in the child's IEP (Individual Education Plan).

Allocation of additional teacher time

0.1 (one tenth) of a full time teacher is allocated for children who are verified as having high needs.

0.2 (two tenths) of a full time teacher is allcated for children who are verified as having very high needs.

For Deaf and hearing impaired children who are ORRS verified and are beginning school in metropolitan Auckland the additional teacher allocation can be used in either of two ways:

1. A teacher who is employed at the school is available to work with the child, or
2. A specialist Resource Teacher of the Deaf (RTD) who is employed by Kelston Deaf Education Centre, and who is available to work with the child.

A decision about which additional teacher option is most appropriate will be agreed within the IEP process.

The child will also receive an allocation for specialist and teacher aide time for the needs identified in their IEP.

Further Information

You will find extensive information about ORRS and other special education provisions online. Look in the Special Education pages on the Ministry of Education website at www.minedu.govt.nz