sou · GZB38 · 2012-01-01 00:00:00 — The inquiry shall however submit proposals for upper secondary education that are in with the provisions on parent and student influence when choosing school form within the compulsory education system. A student belonging to the target group for upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities shall hence have the right to be accepted at an upper secondary school if he or she does not wish to attend an upper secondary with learning disabilities. I therefore propose that the wording and the municipality deems them to have the necessary prerequisites to do so (i.e. complete the programme) be deleted from the above pro- vision governing the home municipalitys responsibility for offer- ing compulsory special school students vocational induction and an individual alternative at upper secondary school. At the same time, I propose that it shall be possible to accept students belonging to the target group onto upper secondary language induction programmes. This can be a good option for a student intending to transfer to a vocation induction programme or individual alternative at upper secondary school after completing the language induction programme. Depending on the composition of the tuition groups, upper secondary language induction may also be suitable for students who choose upper secondary with learning disabilities later on. The home municipalitys responsibility to provide education (Section 6.1) The need for inter-municipality cooperation is just as great in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities as in upper secondary education in general. I therefore propose that the provisions governing the home municipalitys responsibility to provide education shall make it clear that the home municipality may offer education it provides itself or education provided by another municipality or a county council in accordance with coop- eration agreements and that municipalities that have entered into a cooperation agreement form an inter-municipal cooperation area. How such an inter-municipal cooperation area is organised is just as important so that the municipalities will be able to offer as com- prehensive a range of programmes in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities as in the upper secondary sys- tem in general. Acceptance of students to upper secondary with learning disabilities (Section 6.2) Students with learning disabilities shall be able to make informed choices of programmes and specialisations in the future upper sec- ondary education system for pupils with learning disabilities, in the same way as students can do so in the upper secondary school sys- tem in general. It must therefore be possible for a student applying to an upper secondary with learning disabilities to be accepted at a school in another municipality, e.g. if the pro- gramme is not offered in the home municipality or in the inter- municipal area. If there are no extenuating reasons for taking another course of action, this should take place in the same way as it does in the upper secondary school system in general. The stu- dent must also have the option of applying to an independent upper secondary with learning disabilities. I therefore propose that the rules governing acceptance at an upper secondary with learning disabilities run by a public governing body be the same as those governing the upper secondary school system in general. A public governing body shall primarily accept applicants who belong to the target group for upper secondary with learning disabilities and who live in the municipality or in the inter-municipal area (pri- mary applicants) onto a national programme or onto a national specialisation, specially designed alternative or upper secondary apprenticeship programme starting in the students first academic year. In addition, an applicant shall be deemed a primary applicant if he or she has special reasons with regard to his or her personal circumstances, has applied for a nationally recruiting programme or in certain cases has applied for a programme that is not offered by his or her home municipality. Applicants to a national programme, national specialisation, specially designed alternative, upper secon- dary apprenticeship programme or nationally recruiting upper sec- ondary school programme for pupils with learning disabilities other than those deemed to be primary applicants (secondary appli- cants) shall be offered any remaining places not filled by primary applicants. Regarding the training programme, the provisions in the Edu- cation Act relating to acceptance will be replaced by provisions stipulating that a principal must accept a student from another municipality on the training programme in his upper secondary with learning disabilities, provided that the home municipality has deemed the student incapable of following a national programme and that the municipalities agree on financial compensation. independent school offering upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities shall continue to be open to all students who have the right to education at a public upper secon- dary with learning disabilities, i.e. both students on a national programme and those attending the training pro- gramme. It shall be possible to appeal a municipal or county council deci- sion on acceptance of primary applicants to upper secondary with learning disabilities to for Education. It will also be possible to appeal a decision by a private governing body on acceptance to an independent upper secondary with learning disabilities to for Education. Inter-municipal compensation (Section 6.3) Harmonisation of the rules governing acceptance to upper secon- dary with learning disabilities with those that apply to upper secondary school in general also enables the provi- sions on inter-municipal compensation to be harmonised. It is desirable that the provisions do not diverge unnecessarily between different forms of schooling, other than in cases where such diver- gence is justified by the special nature of the form of schooling in question. Divergent rules governing inter-municipal compensation also lead to divergent rules for students attending different forms of schooling. I therefore propose that a municipality or county council that has accepted a student onto a national programme at upper secon- dary with learning disabilities who does not live in the municipality or in the inter-municipal area be compensated for its costs for the students education by the students home munici- pality. Unless the home municipality and the municipality or county council providing the education can agree otherwise, or unless there are other provisions, the inter-municipal compensa- tion shall correspond to the providers prime costs. If the student has been accepted as a secondary applicant, the compensation shall amount to no more than the costs incurred by the home munici- pality if it were to provide similar education or, if the providers costs are lower than the home municipalitys, compensation shall be payable at this lower rate. As regards nationally recruiting pro- grammes or specially designed national programme alternatives, the home municipality shall pay the amount decided in each special case by the for Education. The inter-municipal compensation for a student attending a training programme shall be agreed on between the students home municipality and the municipality or county council providing the education in cases where a student is accepted onto a programme in a municipality other than his or her home municipality or in its inter-municipal area or in a county council. Compensation to independent schools (Section 6.4) The current provisions governing compensation to independent upper secondary schools for pupils with learning disabilities do not take the variation in costs for different programmes into account, which leads to undesirable consequences. I propose that the compensation for a student accepted onto a programme at an independent upper secondary with learning disabilities shall continue to comprise a basic amount and where necessary a supplementary amount. The basic amount shall primarily be determined in accordance with the same criteria applied by the home municipality when allocating resources to the programme in question or a comparable programme. for Education shall be given the task of estab- lishing which programmes are comparable. The classification can be expected in practice to follow the national price list (see below). Using such a model, it will no longer be possible to determine the basic amount based on programmes that differ considerably in terms of cost from the programme onto which the student has been accepted. Furthermore, I propose that the national price list, which is to be used to establish the basic amount in cases where the munici- pality does not run such a programme or a similar one, be differen- tiated with regard to differences in programme costs for upper secondary schools for pupils with learning disabilities. The back- ground data is however too limited and the differences in basic amounts in many cases too small to justify the of a separate amount for every programme. I propose instead that the for Education is given the task to estab- lish a national price list for upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities comprising a limited number of pro- gramme categories, roughly three to four categories, in the future upper secondary education system for pupils with learning dis- abilities. Financial terms for the student (6.5) Unnecessary differences in the student grants system should be avoided between upper secondary education and upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities. secondary schools for pupils with learning disabilities should therefore be included in the general grants system for other upper secondary students. The need for financial support which depends on the students disability should be considered separately. The proposals in the commission report Lack of haste [Brist på brådska] (SOU 2008:102) should therefore be implemented with- out delay so that the activity allowance currently available for extended schooling is abolished and extended child support to stu- dents in upper secondary education for pupils with learning dis- abilities is replaced by study support on the same grounds as for young persons without disabilities. At the same time, I propose that the home municipality dis- burses an accommodation allowance for students who need it and who have been accepted as primary applicants onto an upper sec- ondary programme for pupils with learning disabilities run by a public governing body. A student accepted at an independent upper secondary with learning disabilities shall be able to apply for supplementary accommodation allowance from CSN (). Today, a student attending upper secondary with learning disabili- ties cannot receive accommodation allowance or supplementary accommodation allowance. As a result of their disability, some students at upper secondary with learning disabilities studying in a different municipality have costs for accommodation and to and from their place of study that far exceed the support they receive in the form of accommodation allowance or supplementary accommoda- tion allowance. A students disability can also lead to other extra costs in connection with their studies. I therefore propose that possible designs for a supplementary allowance system for young people studying at upper secondary with learning disabilities be examined so that these young people can make edu- cational choices on the same terms as other upper secondary school students. Such a system should however be designed not just for students with learning disabilities but for also for other students with disabilities. Nationally recruiting upper secondary school programmes (Section 7.1) In what must be an oversight, there are no provisions governing nationally recruiting upper secondary school programmes for pupils with learning disabilities as there are for upper secondary schools in general. A student in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities who has the necessary prerequisites and interest shall, in my opinion, have equal possibilities as stu- dents in upper secondary education to study a nationally recruiting programme. Disabled sports are nowadays very well established. Athletes with learning disabilities will be competing at the in 2012. It is therefore difficult to justify the absence of a national sports programme for elite para-athletes at upper secondary school level. I propose that nationally recruiting programmes be introduced for upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities along the same lines as those for upper secondary education in gen- eral, e.g. vocationally oriented programmes, arts-oriented pro- grammes and sports programmes. The nationally recruiting pro- grammes shall be allowed to deviate from what normally applies for national programmes in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities as regards structure, content and educational goals. Independent upper secondary schools for pupils with learn- ing disabilities shall also be considered as organisers of nationally recruiting programmes. for Education shall determine the size of the compensation. Decisions on national recruitment for national recruiting voca- tional and arts-oriented education programmes could be taken by the for Education for national pro- grammes, national specialisations, specially designed alternatives and upper secondary apprenticeship programmes at upper secon- dary schools for pupils with learning disabilities if the programmes can only be set up at a limited number of locations in the country, or if the knowledge and skills needs of individual students cannot otherwise be met. The requirements for a decision to establish such nationally recruiting programmes are that the programme is of good quality, the costs are reasonable in relation to both the aim of the programme and the costs for other upper secondary school programmes for pupils with learning disabilities and that the selec- tion criteria are fulfilled. The provisions shall otherwise be approximately the same as those that apply to upper secondary education in general. Nationally recruiting sports programmes shall be available on national programmes and on the training programme. The provi- sions governing nationally recruiting sports programmes in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities shall oth- erwise be virtually the same as those governing upper secondary education in general. It shall also be possible to run nationally approved sports programmes within upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities focusing on special sports. The syllabuses for special sports in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities shall make it clear that the subject can only be applied on nationally recruiting and nationally approved sports programmes. Nationally recruiting upper secondary special school programmes for students with learning disabilities in combination with other disabilities (Section 7.2) The issue of the schooling of young people with learning disabili- ties combined with visual impairment and other disabilities has been examined before. The commission report Greater equality for students with disabilities [Ökad likvärdighet för elever med funk- tionshinder] (SOU 2007:87) proposed that the students of Eke- skolan (one of primary residential special schools for pupils with visual impairment in combination with other disabili- ties) could be offered three different options once their obligation to attend school ceased to apply: a) continue studying at an upper secondary school or at an upper secondary with learning disabilities in their home municipality, b) study at an upper secondary with learning disabilities in municipality (where is situated) by agreement between the Swedish state and municipality, or c) continue studying at . The option of extending their schooling at was later reintroduced following a decision by the Swedish Riksdag. The proposal for a nationally recruiting pro- gramme for the target group in was put on hold and is now a matter for this inquiry. I propose that through an agreement between the Swedish state and municipality a nationally recruiting upper secondary school programme for pupils with learning disabilities shall be established at municipalitys upper secondary with learning disabilities in combination with visual impairment and other disabilities. I also propose that the option of extended schooling at shall be limited to a maximum of two years, i.e. the same restriction that otherwise applies in the compulsory school system. This will make it possible for all students who have completed their education at to apply to a programme in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities. I also propose that the agreement covering current nationally recruiting upper secondary education for students with learning disabilities combined with deafness or hearing impairment shall make it clear that the offer of nationally recruiting upper secondary education for deaf or hearing-impaired students concerns educa- tion both on national programmes and on the training programme. Today, students who have followed syllabuses at compulsory with learning disabilities at regional special schools are offered education either at the upper secondary and hearing-impaired persons or on an individual pro- gramme at a nationally recruiting upper secondary dents with learning disabilities combined with deafness or hearing impairment. Upper secondary apprenticeship programmes in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities (Section 8.2) There are currently no provisions governing apprenticeship pro- grammes in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities. There are however students in this form of education who would benefit considerably from receiving a substantial part of their education at a workplace. I therefore propose that an upper secondary apprenticeship sub-programme be established as part of the following programmes in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities: Administration, trade and product man- agement; Property, plant and construction; Vehicle care and trans- port; Handicraft and production; Hotel, restaurant and bakery; Health, care and social services; and , land and animal. To maintain high quality, it is necessary to locate a certain pro- portion of the education programme at the workplace, provision- ally at least half. Furthermore, there shall be a stable relationship between the student, the school and the employer; the student shall learn and develop at the workplace; his or her learning shall be based on the goals stipulated in policy documents; his or her pro- gress towards the goals shall be clearly documented; he or she shall have a supervisor at the workplace; the school shall have a presence at the workplace in the form of visits by the relevant subject teach- ers; and guidance shall be given to the students supervisor. It is proposed that the upper secondary apprenticeship educa- tion at upper secondary schools for pupils with learning disabilities shall from 2013 onwards be included as part of and financed within the framework of the upper secondary apprenticeship education that has already been decided for upper secondary education. Cooperation between schools and working life (Section 8.4) The cooperation between schools and working life needed for upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities basically coincides with that needed for upper secondary education in general. In some respects, however, it must take the special cir- cumstances that apply for upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities into account. Regarding the national level, I propose that cooperation shall take place within the national programme councils that have already been established for upper secondary education, with basi- cally the same remit. It is of value to discuss issues that concern the cooperation between schools and working life in the same context. The partially diverse programme structure should not be an obstacle; it should be possible to integrate the vast majority of pro- grammes in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities into one or in some cases two of the national upper secondary programme councils. An integrated solution is also of value at the local level. I there- fore propose that upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities shall be included in the remit for the local pro- gramme councils that will be in place for upper secondary educa- tion in general. This can also increase understanding between the different forms of schooling. Other forms of cooperation are how- ever needed on the local level for upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities. Finding a suitable location for workplace learning or preparing for the exit of a student from school and hopefully finding employment requires cooperation between school, employer, the and several other societal actors. The schools study and career guid- ance officer is a key person in this context. To reduce vulnerability, the school must also build up structures and routines for the cooperation. Study and career guidance (Section 8.5) The existing provisions and guidelines on study and career guid- ance are generally worded. I do not feel that there is any reason to define the provisions any more precisely, despite the brief for study and career guidance officers at upper secondary schools for pupils with learning disabilities being more extensive than in upper sec- ondary schools in general. I instead propose that the for Education be given the task of revising the general guidelines and comments on study and career guidance, thereby highlighting the special demands put on it in both compul- sory and upper secondary with learning disabili- ties. This is especially significant bearing in mind those municipali- ties where there is upper secondary education for students with learning disabilities and there is often a lack of knowledge about the special demands put on study and career guidance in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities. Education for adults with learning disabilities at upper secondary level (Chapter 9) Persons with learning disabilities shall have the same opportunities as other people to continue their learning and development, even in adulthood. Here, education for adults with learning disabilities at upper secondary level has a role to play alongside folk high schools and study organisations. The need to extend this form of education is considerable since many adults with learning disabilities have or no access to continued learning and development similar to that afforded to the rest of the population. Those who have the right prerequisites shall in my opinion have the possibility to complete their upper secondary school studies. It is therefore proposed that basically all upper secondary subjects and the upper secondary school project in upper secondary with learning disabilities shall also be available in educa- tion for adults with learning disabilities at upper secondary level. In order to increase flexibility in the system, other courses on a level equivalent to the education provided in upper secondary education for pupils with learning disabilities, e.g. in the form of general introductory courses, shall also be available. It is also vital that edu- cation with learning disabilities for adults at upper secondary level offers vocationally oriented programmes.