Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 May 2017
369. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether it is problematic that the DEIS identification process relies on an assumption that there is a strong correlation between the HP Deprivation Index and educational outcomes; the level of research there has been to support this assumption; and the correlation between the index and education outcomes, including education disadvantage. [20335/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe DEIS identification process uses an objective centrally held data-based model for assessing a schools level of disadvantage. The model takes into account a number of factors including social class, dependency ratios, educational levels of parents, lone parenthood, overcrowding, occupation and unemployment. There is a well established strong connection between high levels of concentrated disadvantage and poor educational outcomes. Exploratory analysis conducted during the DEIS Review Process as part of the development of the new identification model examined the relationship between the HP index and educational outcomes and established a strong correlation between the variance in HP scores and the variance in educational outcomes, most notably in urban primary and post primary schools. Further details on the development of the new identification process are available in the Report on the Review of DEIS which can be found on my Department's website at: http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Review-Report.pdf
I am satisfied that the new DEIS Identification Model used to assess the level of disadvantage among the pupil cohort of a school has been applied fairly using centrally held data adopting an objective and scientific approach which has been uniformly applied for all schools in the country.
