Vol. 506 No. 2
435 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the consideration, if any, he is giving to the expansion of the number of schools at second level which have been given disadvantage status; and the criteria he will be using for their selection. [15196/99]
In the current school year, of the total of 762 schools at second level, 190 schools have been allocated disadvantaged posts and qualify for disadvantaged status on that basis.
A study of educational disadvantage conducted by the Combat Poverty Agency and the Educational Research Centre in 1996 concluded that disadvantage status should be confined to 16 per cent of the school going population. The study noted that such status had already been granted to 17 per cent of pupils. As an alternative to extending the disadvantaged areas scheme to additional schools, the study recommended that available resources be targeted on the most disadvantaged schools.
