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COMPLETE NATIONAL OVERVIEW
Legal System
Every citizen of the Republic of Latvia and every person who has the right to a non-citizen passport issued by the Republic of Latvia, every person who has received a permanent residence permit, as well as citizens of European Union member states who have been issued a temporary residence permit, and their children, have equal right to acquire education, regardless of their property or social status, race, nationality, gender, religious or political convictions, state of health, disability, occupation or place of residence.
The Law of Education adopted in 1998 defines the main organisational principles and procedures of educational services and the Law on General Education adopted in 1999 defines in detail the organisational principles and procedures of general education services.
The Law of Education identifies special education as adapted general or vocational education for persons with special educational needs and different types of disabilities.
The Law of General Education defines the types of education realized in Latvia. It states that special needs education is part of general education. Chapter 8 of this Law defines the implementation of curricula of SNE, the provision of educational services for children with special needs and the procedures of identification of special needs.
The aims and the goals of general educations are described in the Standards of General Education which are adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers.
Main principles and procedures of assessment of pupils including those with special needs are also adopted by the Cabinet of Ministers.
For more information about legal system of education in Latvia visit: www.izm.gov.lv
Financing
The financing of educational institutions depends on the ownership of these institutions. There are three types of educational institutions – state, municipal and private. The financing of educational services are stated in the Law on Education (Chapter 7).
The state owed institutions are funded from the state budget according to the Law of State Budget for a definite year.
Municipal educational institutions are funded from two sources- local budget (the maintenance) and the state budget (teacher salaries).
All costs of special schools, classes and groups are covered by earmarked subsidies from the state budget according to the regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers.
Private educational institutions are funded by their founders. The state and municipalities share the costs of these institutions if the curriculum they provide is licensed by the Ministry of Education and Science.
The pre-school education is two-fold. The compulsory education of 5-6 year old children is covered partly by state (teacher salaries) and by municipalities (maintenance). The education of younger children which is not compulsory is completely the responsibility of local municipalities. They are only concerned if the pre-school educational institution has groups for children with special needs. Then this group is funded by the earmarked subsidy from the state.
Identification of Special Needs
There is no official definition of special needs in Latvia. Deviations from customary abilities, intellectual and physical development and behaviour which prevent pupils to follow the general curricula are considered special educational needs. The pupils who possess them are eligible to the adapted and special education and educational support.
Usually all children start their schooling in mainstream environment with exception of those who has diagnosed disability in early childhood and the parents choose to place them in special educational institution.
During the first year of schooling pupils follow mainstream curriculum. If they show considerable difficulties in acquiring this curriculum and academic achievements do not correspond to requirements of national primary education standards the teachers can suggest that the child repeat the year the second time or attend pedagogical psychological commission. The commission prepares recommendation what kind of curriculum the child should follow but it is up to the parents to make the final decision about their child’s education.
There are two types of pedagogical psychological commissions – the State Pedagogical Psychological Commission (SPPC) formed by the Ministry of Education and Science and Municipal Pedagogical Psychological Commissions formed by district or town municipalities. The commissions consist of different specialists – special teachers, psychologists, doctors and social workers. They assess different aspects of child’s performance.
The competence of the SPPC and municipal commissions are defined by Regulations issued by the Cabinet of Ministers.
The commissions can identify following special educational needs:
- learning disabilities (difficulties);
- sensory disabilities (different degrees of hearing and visual impairments);
- physical disabilities;
- speech and language impairments;
- intellectual disabilities (disabilities of mental development);
- multiple disabilities.
Parents can choose what kind of educational institutions their child should attend – special school, special class in the mainstream school, a special group in the mainstream school or should he/she be integrated in a mainstream class.
Special Needs within the Education System
According to the Law on General Education special education is part of general education.
Pupils who require special organisation of learning environment, application of special methods of teaching and need additional pedagogical support are entitled to special education. Special education is provided for pupils with different kinds and degrees of disabilities.
Special education can be organised in different ways:
Pre-school education. Since 2002 pre-school education for 5-6 year old children is compulsory. Education for younger children is optional. The majority of these education institutions belong to the municipalities, some are privately owned. Usually children with special needs attend general groups but there is a number of special groups (329) and special pre-school institutions (38). The majority of pre-school age children who attend special groups or special pre-school institutions are children with speech and language development problems. Special support is offered to these children to develop their linguistic and communication skills. Normally a speech therapist and special education teachers are engaged to work with the children.
If a child shows any special needs the parents contact local municipality services to obtain information about what kind of support is available and where can they receive it. As stated previously the majority of pre-school institutions belong to municipalities and it is their responsibility to provide adequate support for the child and the family. If a pre-school institution decides to admit children with special needs it has to license a curriculum in the Ministry of Education and Science.
Mainstream settings. According to the Law on General Education all children should start school in the year when they become 7 years old. The compulsory education lasts for 9 years from Year 1 to Year 9.
The pupils with special needs can attend any educational institution his/her parents choose. The prerequisites for acquiring education in mainstream school are:
- licensed curriculum by MoES;
- support of specialists (special teachers, speech therapists, psychologist etc.)
- remedial instruction;
- smaller classes;
- communication support;
- adequate assessment.
There are special classes in mainstream schools for pupils with different disabilities and many pupils are integrated or included in mainstream settings. At present there is no precise data how many pupils with special educational needs are acquiring education in mainstream settings.
The regulations of the Cabinet of Ministers states how many pupils with special needs can be integrated or included in a mainstream class and how many pupils can be in such a class. Teacher assistants are provided for lessons where pupils with SEN are integrated.
To follow instruction during lessons every pupil with special needs, if it is necessary, has an individual curriculum or individual plan with stated aims and goals the pupil should reach.
After the completion of compulsory education the young person can choose how to continue his/her education. There are several possibilities:
- to attend vocational school;
- to attend vocational classes in special schools;
- to continue secondary education in mainstream schools.
The choice depends on abilities and the level of mental or intellectual development.
The possibility to receive education in the most appropriate educational institution is provided for each pupil with special needs by ensuring:
- help of qualified specialists;
- acquisition of academic knowledge;
- development of social and work skills;
- practical orientation in education;
- preparation for working life and integration into society;
- remedial instruction and rehabilitation.
Teacher Training - Basic and Specialist Teacher Training
Teachers are trained at higher education level. To become a teacher a person should enter university or college and to complete full course of professional studies (4 -5 years). Teacher training comprises several components:
- general education studies;
- studies related to specific subject;
- professional studies.
The qualification of special teacher can be acquired in several ways:
1. by completing four year professional study program concerning specific disability;
2. in 1,5 or 2 year study program (60-80 credits) for teachers who already has teacher qualifications in some subject;
3. in masters study programs;
4. in in-service training courses for teachers with qualifications in some other subjects (108 study hours).
Development in Integration/Inclusion
The movement towards integration and inclusion of pupils with special needs started in the middle of 1990’s. The Law on Education stated that every child has the right to obtain his/her education in the school of his/her parents’ choice.
The Ministry of Education and Science has always supported the idea that both trends in special education – special schools (groups, classes) and integration (inclusion) in mainstream schools – should exist in Latvia.
Due to the very low birth rate during the last decade the number of pupils in schools has diminished. This has lead to the situation that every school needs all the children of the local community to attend it to prevent the closure of some classes or even the whole school.
In this situation more and more mainstream schools and pre-school institutions adapt their curriculum or license new curricula to offer them to children and young persons with different kinds of special needs. To ensure that schools and pre-school institutions have teachers who understands how to work with children with disabilities, universities and colleges offer in-service training for teachers to acquire the qualifications of special teachers. Because of the above mentioned tendency the number of pupils in special schools and boarding schools diminishes.
But we have to mention that the process of integration/inclusion is not unequivocal. Not all mainstream schools can provide the best support and learning environment the pupil needs. The attitude of society in general including parents, children, and school staff do not always permit good terms of integration/inclusion of pupils with SEN.
There is strong political will and support of NGOs to move forward with integration/inclusion of children and young persons with different disabilities into mainstream education system.
The main task of the Ministry of Education and Science, local boards of education and municipality authorities is to provide the best possible conditions for pupils with special needs in the mainstream education institutions.
To promote the integration/inclusion policy the new financing system is under development, it is the so called “backpack” system, where money follows the child.
Quality Indicators for Special Needs Education
According to the requirements of legislation all pupils with disabilities except those with mental disabilities follow the general education curriculum which is based on the adopted standards of general primary education. That means that they have to take state tests and examinations and to be assessed as pupils with no disabilities. The process of testing and assessment can be adapted to the needs and abilities of a particular pupil. The pupils with mental disabilities do not take state tests and their academic success is measured according to the dynamics of their development and their abilities.
The efficiency of every school and pre-school institution as well as the quality of the education process is evaluated by special state commission at least once in 6 years. The internal and external evaluation is done based on criteria developed to evaluate different aspects of education process in the institution.
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