‘Schools deserve more than a yes or no’

Independent Cavan councillor Brendan Fay has called for an urgent overhaul of the DEIS designation process, arguing that schools need far greater “transparency” when decisions affect the resources available to disadvantaged pupils.

Cllr Fay believes the process for awarding Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) status should be more open, transparent and accountable, and schools should not simply receive a “yes” or “no” without being told how the decision was reached.

“A school, its staff, parents and local community should not be left simply with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ decision,” Cllr Fay told the September monthly meeting of Cavan County Council where he asked the Minister for Education and Department of Education to intervene.

Cllr Fay wants schools refused DEIS status to be told why they did not qualify, which criteria they fell short on, what data was used and how it compared with the qualifying threshold.

Schools should also have access to a clear appeals or review process and know when they will next be assessed.

Cllr Fay said greater transparency was essential because DEIS status determines access to additional resources and supports for children experiencing social and economic disadvantage.

“The DEIS process must take account of the real circumstances within individual schools and communities and not rely solely on statistics or data that may not fully reflect changing local circumstances,” he said.

His motion calls for the Department to publish the full criteria and methodology used to award DEIS status, provide schools with their assessment data and introduce an independent review process.

He also wants schools to be reassessed regularly where significant social or economic changes affect their communities.

“When public resources are being allocated on the basis of educational disadvantage, the process must be capable of being understood, scrutinised and, where necessary, challenged,” Cllr Fay said.

Independent Ireland's Shane P O'Reilly seconded the proposal, as did Cathaoirleach Carmel Brady who said the DEIS process is an “ongoing issue” for schools across the country.

He voiced frustration that a primary school in a town can be awarded DEIS, but the same designation is not afforded to the secondary school which may be only a couple of hundred metre away. “It has to make sense.”

* This article has been published with support from the Local Democracy Scheme