Getting info on cost of school place

[henryhsmum]

Hi

Does anyone know where I can get data on cost of a school place - I found some Dept of Educ data but its 2009-10. Also, how do I find out cost of my child's transport to school?

It would be really helpful if some of you could let me know the approximate cost of an ABA programme for a school age child. Basically, I am trying to argue to the LEA that ABA is cheaper or no more than special school - wish me luck!

If you prefer, you can PM me

Put in a Freedom of Information request to your council
Ask following:

How much a place unsupported in a named school will cost
How mush a place supported in same will cost
How much a place in a special school will cost

How many children are already having their education paid for at home/in county. The nature of that education, names of establishments and how much each costs. Also whether these costs are subject to tri-partite funding (ie Is PCT or Social Services chipping in.)

Thanks, that's really helpful. I will do that. I have a rough idea from the 2009-10 dept for education data and i think I may be able to make a case. Do you know if there's any data on how much ABA costs for a school child?

It depends on entirely how it's done.
If the staff are delivering an education based on the principles of ABA (that is evidence based, data driven ,with a clear understanding of task analysis and use of reinforcement) it won't cost anything more than the norm.

If they're not, then it will cost whatever it costs to bring someone in to wrok alongside them and train them.

It doesn't take a genius to work out that all education should be evidence based, data driven ,with a clear understanding of task analysis and use of reinforcement. Unfortunately, most isn't.

google section 52 LEA and add in your county - you should see a spread sheet of the costs each school are given by the LEA for each child depending on the level of need within the statement. It might include transport costs - i can't remember sorry.

FOI requests are a good starting point for costing information but the LEA may try to argue that a special school place is an 'existing resource' and as such can be notionally costed at zero. The case law may not be clear though and a lot depends on what exactly your costs are and what you can prise out of them about their actual costs.

That's well shifty.
Everything has a cost so if you ask what a regualr place in a regular school (named) costs, with no support, you can weigh up everything else accordingly.