Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 May 2020
305. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding steps being taken to ensure that students applying for third level through the CAO with leaving certificate results from different years are not advantaged or disadvantaged compared with students with predictive results from 2020. [6482/20]
View answerOn Friday 8th May I announced the decision to postpone the Leaving Certificate and offer students calculated grades, which can be used as a basis for entry into tertiary education. This decision was made following the assessment of public health advice, and was made in the best interests of students and all those involved in running the state exams.
The system whereby calculated grades are generated includes a process of national standardisation in which marks and rankings submitted by schools will be examined and may be adjusted using statistical methods to ensure a common national standard is applied. Profiles of achievement at Leaving Certificate level over the last three years will be used as part of this process and this will help ensure that the grades issued remain in line with national performance standards over time.
