Press release
Minister Foley announces OECD review to inform Ireland’s resource allocation policy to address educational disadvantage
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Published on
Last updated on
Minister for Education Norma Foley has today (10 July) announced that she has invited the OECD to conduct a review of Ireland’s Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) resource allocation policy.
The aim of the OECD review is to provide an independent, expert opinion on the current resource allocation model for the DEIS programme and, drawing on international examples, inform a policy approach for an equitable distribution of supplementary resources to support students at risk of educational disadvantage attending all schools, both DEIS and non-DEIS.
The OECD’s Strength Through Diversity: Education for Inclusive Societies Project will be jointly funded by the Department of Education and the European Commission, through its Learning Lab initiative.
Minister Foley said:
"I strongly believe that no child should be forgotten about or left behind, irrespective of their own or broader circumstances. With that in mind I am pleased to be announcing this OECD review, which will provide an independent expert opinion on how DEIS resources are currently allocated and help to inform future policy development.
“It is imperative that children at risk of educational disadvantage have an equal opportunity to succeed at school. The Department of Education is committed to supporting a quality and inclusive school system which supports all pupils and students to flourish. The Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative in this regard, designed to address concentrated educational disadvantage in a targeted and equitable way across primary and post-primary schools.
“It is vital that when making policy decisions we consider evidence and best practice. This review will allow my department to consider what has worked well, and what we need to continue to improve. This government has made tremendous progress through recent investments and policy measures including the extension of the DEIS programme to 322 additional schools, the continued reduction in class sizes and the landmark new policy of providing free school books for all primary school children this coming school year.
“The review will be complemented by work to review individual resources and allocation approaches, with a view to improving on their effectiveness.
“When complete, this review will help to inform policy measures towards ensuring that all schools are adequately supported to best meet the needs of students at risk of educational disadvantage.”
The findings and recommendations of the review will inform the department’s policy development in this area, to ensure all schools are adequately supported to meet the needs of their students who are at risk of educational disadvantage.
The OECD will engage with a range of relevant stakeholders to inform the review process as well as drawing on international examples. The OECD estimates that the review will be completed in Q2 2024. The review will cost €250,000 overall and is being co-funded by the European Commission under the Learning Lab on Investing in Quality Education and Training initiative.
The OECD Strength Through Diversity: Education for Inclusive Societies Project is designed to respond to the increasing diversity that characterises education systems, and seeks to help governments and relevant stakeholders achieve more equitable and inclusive education systems as a pillar to create more inclusive societies. Recent reviews include a Review of Inclusive Education in Portugal and a review of the Right to Learn Programme in Finland. Further information on the project can be found at: Strength Through Diversity.
The Learning Lab promotes the use of education policy evaluation practices in the EU and identifies ways to invest in education policies. The Learning Lab is an EU-wide umbrella initiative that started on 28 November 2022 with the support of Mariya Gabriel, then EU Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth.
The Learning Lab provides relevant authorities with knowledge, tools, methods, and resources they could use in order to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of their public spending on education and training and will encourage an evidence-informed approach to policy design and implementation in education and training. It brings together the Commission (in its supporting role) and the relevant authorities in the Member States, who can participate in this initiative on a voluntary basis.