Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 November 2006
241 Mr. Blaney asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will give approval to a review application for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal to be included in band 1 rather than band 2 of the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools on the basis that the review was submitted on 9 October 2006; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38071/06]
View answerDEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the action plan for educational inclusion, provides for a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage and a new integrated School Support Programme (SSP). The School Support Programme will bring together, and build upon, a number of existing interventions in schools with a concentrated level of disadvantage.
The process of identifying primary and second-level schools for participation in the SSP was managed by the Educational Research Centre (ERC) on behalf of my Department and supported by quality assurance work co-ordinated through the Department's regional offices and the Inspectorate.
As a result of the identification process, 840 schools were invited to participate in the SSP. These comprised 640 primary schools (320 urban/town schools and 320 rural schools) and 200 second-level schools. A review process has been put in place for urban primary schools included in Band 2 of the School Support Programme where there is evidence that the level of disadvantage is of a scale sufficient to warrant their inclusion in Band 1.
The review is operating under the direction of an independent person, charged with ensuring that all relevant identification processes and procedures were properly followed in the case of schools applying for a review. The closing date for receipt of review applications was Monday 25th September, 2006.
Review applications must be evidence-based and based on the variables and reference dates used in the identification process for the SSP. In the case of schools seeking a review, applications must relate to data on the relevant variables included in the ERC survey of May, 2005 and to the reference date of 30th September, 2004.
A completed application for review from the school indicated by the Deputy was received in the Social Inclusion Unit of the Department on 20th September 2006 and a formal acknowledgement has issued to the school. It is anticipated that the review process will be completed shortly.
