Most special classes for 2026 to be approved by year-end under new fast-tracked system
31 May 2025
Schools have been told that most new special classes for September 2026 will be sanctioned by the end of this year under “ambitious” new targets.
The Department of Education and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are aiming to sanction the majority of new classes for the 2026/27 school year by the end of December.
It is one of several new policies aimed at resolving long-standing issues with the application system for special classes, which sees families struggling to find school places each year.
The move brings the application process forward by approximately four months, and closer in line with the timeline during which students apply to mainstream schools.
Published in The Irish Examiner, 31st May 2025