Guidelines on Sustaining Special Education at the Elementary Level

The Department of Education (DepEd), Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE) through the Special Education Division (SPED), continuously supports the delivery of quality educational services to children with special needs. Now on its 3rd year of providing financial subsidy, this School Year (SY) 2011-2012, the 276 recognized SPED Centers will be given support funds with an aggregate amount of One Hundred Fifteen Million Pesos (Phpl15,000,000.00). An amount proportionate to the enrolment and exceptionalities being served by the SPED Center shall be provided. The subsidy shall be released directly to the recipient schools with fiscal autonomy or through the schools division offices for those schools without fiscal autonomy pursuant to the provision of the DepEd-Department of Budget and Management (DBM) Joint Circular No. 2004-1 entitled, "The Guidelines on the Direct Release of Funds to Regional Offices and Implementing Units."

The subsidy granted per SPED Center shall be utilized to support the implementation of the following activities of the SPED Program as reflected in the approved School Improvement Plan (SIP): Please see Enclosure No. 1 for the Fund Allocation for SPED Centers.

Pupil development activities, training, educational visits, camp activities, sports and pupil participation in SPED related activities	30%
Procurement of assistive technology devices like Perkins Brailler, Braille display, speech synthesizer, canes, magnifiers, writing slate and stylus, abacus, Job Access with Speech Program (JAWS), computers, sports, musical instruments, speech trainer, vestibular balls, sensory integration materials, early simulation devices, adapted P.E apparatuses, sewing machines, stove, cooking wares and carpentry tools for the work centers/transition program, etc.,
Procurement of instructional and reference materials, psychological tests, early intervention materials, science manipulative materials	25%
Professional upgrading of teachers and school heads and travel expenses relative to participation/attendance to activities relevant to the implementation of the program, training of classroom parent aides, availment of services of allied Personnel namely: psychologist, occupational, physical, speech, behavioral therapists	20%
TOTAL	100%

Upon receipt of the subsidy funds from the DBM, the DepED Budget Division, Finance and Management Service (FMS), Central Office shall immediately issue Sub-Allotment Release Orders (Sub-ARO) to the concerned schools division offices which will administer the implementation of the program.

The Financial and Physical Accomplishment Report on activities undertaken shall be submitted to the Director, Bureau of Elementary Education. Likewise, the basic data on SPED for the current year and the Regional/Division Development Plan/School Improvement Plan citing the activities for the SPED Center for the ensuing year shall be furnished to the same office. Non-compliance shall result in the suspension of subsidy. - https://www.affordablecebu.com/