(UK) NI: "Increasing special educational needs support costs" means $57M (US) more

Feb 19, 2020, BBC News: Extra £427m for education in Northern Ireland requested https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-51563308 The Department of Education (DE) has bid for an extra £427m in funding in the 2020/21 budget. Pressures have increased across a number of areas, a DE official told MLAs.... The education budget - which covers schools and youth services - is one of Stormont's biggest at about £2bn a year. He said the increase was needed to pay for things like a teachers' pay settlement, increasing special educational needs (SEN) support costs and essential maintenance work in schools. … About £44m [$57M US] extra was required to meet increased SEN costs for pupil support in mainstream schools, special schools and transport.