Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 3 June 2020
278. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the exact statistical methods which will be used for the standardisation of results submitted by schools in the context of the calculation of grades within the leaving certificate. [9296/20]
View answer284. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the stage junior certificate will be factored in view of his comments that junior certificate results can be used as a safeguard to protect a strong cohort from suffering under the standardisation part of the calculated grades model; and the role it plays in the statistical model being used for standardisation [9302/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 278 and 284 together.
I published detailed guidance for schools on calculated grades on 21 May with further supplementary guidance provided on 28 May. The document sets out information on the process of estimating marks for students to receive calculated grades, and this has been sent to all schools. The document, together with Frequently Asked Questions, are available on my Department’s website.
Calculated Grades are decided based on data on each candidate provided by schools. The calculated grades process combines estimates of a student’s expected performance i n a subject and level, with information about how students in the school have fared in this subject in recent years in line with national performance standards over time.
After the estimated percentage marks and rankings are received from all schools, my Department will analyse them and carry out a process of national standardisation. This will compare information about how students in this school have fared at Leaving Certificate over the past three years to the national standard. It will also review the performance of this year’s group of students against their overall performance at Junior Cycle.
The information about each individual and their peers is combined with the information about the school’s previous results and previous groups to allow checks that the marks and rankings for each subject in a school and all other schools are reasonable. This means that all candidates across the country are treated fairly. The statistical process being applied will not impose any predetermined score on any individual in a class or school.
