Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 8 July 2021
243. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education if an assessment has been undertaken on the results of 2021 standardised testing in primary schools; the way that 2021 results compare with those from previous years; if there has been a noticeable change in the results across the board; if measures are being planned to address any deficits in results; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37056/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraStandardised tests are used to measure a child’s reading and mathematical achievement, and to determine children’s progress in those areas. Information from the tests is important given the vital role of literacy and numeracy in enabling children to access the full curriculum.
The results of standardised tests can help schools to evaluate progress in literacy and numeracy and can help to pinpoint areas for improvement. They can be used at both classroom and whole-school level to inform teaching and learning, to identify the children who may be experiencing difficulty and require additional support as well as identify those children that are performing really well and require additional challenge in their learning.
However, the results of any one standardised test should not be used in isolation, nor used as baseline data for predicting future achievements, nor for solely informing decisions regarding the provision of interventions or targets within learning plans for pupils. Information from ability tests, teacher observations, parental reports, as well as the views of the pupils are also very important aspects of a thorough assessment.
It is acknowledged that the closure of schools for extended periods on two separate occasions, over the past two years, due to COVID restrictions, has meant that this has been a very difficult period for our young people and students. As the educational environment returns to normality, there will be opportunities to fully reflect on the impact of school closures on children. There is currently some Irish and international research available on the impact of the period of school closures on students.
My officials are working to consider how best to support schools and students as they return to school in September for the coming school year 2021/22. Further research will be also be required in Ireland to measure the full extent of the impact that educational disruption, has had on children. Further details will be provided in relation to any proposals to mitigate against lost learning time, in the coming weeks, once these considerations have been concluded.
In relation to the standardised testing the Department receives the data at school aggregate level from schools on an annual basis. In relation to the 2020/2021 data this has not yet been returned from all schools to date. When all the data has been received the Department intends to use this data through a comparison of the distribution of high, medium and low scores at system level aggregates such as DEIS category of school, rural/urban location, and so on, to determine whether any loss of learning suggested by the changes is constant across the system, or whether certain groups of schools in the system have experienced a greater or lesser decline than the population averages.
This system-level analysis will provide one source of evidence that the Department will be able to use in order to target resources, both short-term and longer-term, to support equity in the system. This analysis will not be carried out on individual schools as it would be inappropriate to do so.
My Department will continue to prioritise investment in special education, with over €2 billion due to be spent on special education this year, in supporting the additional learning needs of pupils in our schools. In addition to prioritising pupils with special educational needs to return to school, my Department has also provided for a range of measures to support such pupils while out of school. This included measures to support the provision of teaching support during the school closure period, a supplementary education scheme, and an enhanced summer education programme, which will take place this year. Schools were also provided with funding as part of the Digital Strategy for Schools totalling €100m in 2020 and were advised to prioritise supporting the purchase of devices for students who may not have access to devices for remote learning.
