Correspondence students face support cuts

Support for Correspondence School students is likely to be severely reduced as the school moves to cut costs.

A confidential consultation document shows that plans are being made to cut back on regional staff, support staff and school deans. It is understood up to 35 support staff could lose their jobs in the restructuring.

The school has posted a deficit of $5 million and believes changes are necessary if the school is to continue.

According to the document, the school's 20,000 students would be assessed and put into four different categories based on need. Students also enrolled at mainstream schools would see cuts to support services as would pupils perceived as having strong support at home.

The proposal says teachers should be centralised in Wellington, and some regional support positions would be cut back. The document said the proposed structure was designed to ensure the regional support was going to the areas with the greatest need and would enable co-operation with other agencies.

It also said problems with low achievement needed to be looked at and that resources should be put into teaching and learning.

Correspondence School chief executive Debbie Francis said no decision would be made on staff cuts until April. Parents had not been consulted because staff deserved some privacy.

Correspondence School staff had been asked to comment on the proposed changes and a final copy would be signed off by the board next month.

- NZPA