Evaluation of the Supplementary Learning Support Initiative
Supplementary Learning Support (SLS) is a special education initiative designed to provide additional support to students with ongoing significant educational needs who have missed out for support under the Ongoing Reviewable Resourcing Schemes (ORRS).
Author: Research NZDate Published: June 2006
Introduction
This initiative was trialled in the latter part of 2003 in some Ministry of Education, Special Education (GSE) districts and rolled out nationally during 2004.
In 2004, Research New Zealand, was contracted by the Ministry of Education to evaluate the SLS initiative and identify opportunities to enhance it. The evaluation was based on a mixed method, a utilisation approach to understand SLS from multiple perspectives. The final report was presented in June 2006.
The key findings of the report state that the SLS initiative is achieving substantial success. It has been successfully operationalised to provide additional learning support nationally. Personnel and processes are in place and functioning well. The report found key assumptions underpinning the SLS initiative are largely correct and although several challenges have been identified, these are likely to be overcome primarily through refinements to existing processes.
