Bay of Plenty students with additional learning needs will receive significantly improved support following the Government’s announcement of a $192 million investment in Learning Support Coordinators for primary and intermediate schools, said Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell and Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford.

The investment will see 101,000 Year 1-8 students across New Zealand benefit from dedicated Learning Support Coordinators (LSCs) starting next year, addressing critical inequities in the current system.

From Term 1, 461 schools will have access to a new LSC staffing entitlement through the Government’s $192 million Budget 2025 investment to ensure all primary and intermediate schools have access to a LSC over the next three years.

Learning Support Coordinators support both staff and students, providing direct support in schools, working with neurodiverse students and those with additional learning needs and helping schools and families to navigate additional specialist support where required.

“We want every child to reach their full potential, and this transformational investment will help that. It will allow schools to identify and respond to student needs sooner by bringing dedicated learning support into schools earlier and closer to those who need it most,” Education Minister Erica Stanford said.

“Parents, teachers and principals have been crying out for this support. Parents can be confident we are putting their child’s needs at the centre of the education system. A dedicated staff member who can screen for common neurodiverse needs like dyslexia and put strategies in place will give teachers more time to focus on what they do next, quality teaching in the classroom.”

The Government will be providing funded training and induction for new LSCs in literacy and numeracy, and the use of screening tools.

“This is fantastic news for teachers and families in the Bay of Plenty, giving schools the tools to support students sooner,” said Tauranga MP Sam Uffindell.

“Right now, 21,503 children have this support, but by 2028, every Year 1–8 student in the region – approximately 39,110 kids – will have access to this support. This means more children will get the help they need to thrive and succeed in their learning, which is great for the children, their parents and our community.”

Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford said it means schools can identify student needs earlier and get support to kids “where it’s needed most”.

“For too long, parents, teachers, and principals have been calling out for this support.”

Rutherford, who has visited schools across the electorate and seen firsthand the incredible work being done to support learners, said this investment will strengthen that support.

The rollout will take three years. From 2026, every region will have 60 percent access, which will increase to 80 per cent in 2027, and 100 per cent by 2028. In total this will benefit close to 300,000 students across 1131 schools. The implementation is phased to impact the greatest number of students as quickly as possible.

Schools across the Bay of Plenty electorate will receive LSC support in a phased rollout:

2026: Kaimai School and Selwyn Ridge School

2027: Golden Sands School, Mt Maunganui Intermediate, Tahatai Coast School, Te Akau ki Pāpāmoa Primary School, Te Manawa ō Pāpāmoa School and Welcome Bay School

2028: Arataki School, Maungatapu School, Mount Maunganui Primary School, Omanu School, Oropi School, Pāpāmoa Primary School, Suzanne Aubert Catholic School, Tauranga Waldorf School, and Te Puna School.

“This is a real win for our kids. Every child in the Bay of Plenty will get access to the support they need to raise achievement and reach their potential,” Rutherford said.

Learning Support Coordinators provide direct support in schools, work with neurodiverse students and those with additional learning needs and help schools and families navigate specialist support.

The investment addresses significant regional inequities where some areas previously had only 18 per cent access to LSCs while others had 57 per cent, representing the single largest investment in learning support in a generation.

“We’re removing inequity, inconsistency and we’re being flexible for our rural and smaller schools who struggle to fully staff their classrooms,” Stanford said.

“Schools will be able to choose to combine their part-time staffing entitlements across intervention and LSC roles - making it easier to recruit and manage resources across their communities.

“We are making the single largest investment in learning support in a generation — a transformational, system-wide reform that delivers a coherent, multi-tiered, evidence-informed approach to meeting the needs of our students.

“We are bringing learning support closer to young people who need it most, ensuring support is available, accessible, and effective,” Standford said.