Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 29 June 2016
85. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of his review of the school support programme through the delivering equality of opportunity in schools action plan, including when he will complete and publish it; if he envisages changes to the funding or delivery model under the action plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18725/16]
View answer87. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will publish the new national action plan for educational inclusion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18727/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 87 together.
As the Deputy is aware, the review of the DEIS programme is currently underway and it is my intention that a New Action Plan Educational Inclusion will be published by the end of this year. The current DEIS Action Plan, was published in 2005 and currently provides support to 836 schools serving a total of 169,500 pupils. The DEIS programme has been implemented in partnership with schools and other Government Departments and agencies such as Tusla who manage the Home School Community Liaison and School Completion Programmes, and the Department of Social Protection, which is responsible for the School Meals Programme. The review is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the identification process for the inclusion of schools in the programme, the range and impact of different elements of the School Support Programme, and the scope for increased integration of services provided by other Departments and agencies, in order to improve effectiveness. As part of the review, targeted measures in a number of key areas will be considered. They include:
- Supporting school leadership
- Networks and clusters for DEIS teachers and schools
- Teaching methodologies
- Exploring ways in which the work of schools could be better integrated with other state supports within the community, and
- In consultation with Minister Zappone, making greater use of Home School Community Liaison.
I intend that innovative measures such as these, which are shown to work well in improving results for disadvantaged children and students, can form pilot schemes under a new schools support programme. The number of additional schools to be included in the new programme will be determined by a new identification process for this purpose, which is currently in development and all schools will be assessed. Therefore, there will not be a requirement for an application process. Subject to Government approval, it is intended to begin to implement actions arising from an updated plan in the 2017/18 school year. In the meantime, I do not propose to make any changes to the current programme, including the addition of further schools until the completion of the Review and agreement on a new Action Plan.
