Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)
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Question 489: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 181 of 11 May 2006, the reason retention data on schools in a particular local area is not made available by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19465/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In my opinion it is desirable that parents and the public in general have information about schools that is meaningful, fair and fully rounded. Data on school retention in respect of individual schools or local areas are not provided by my Department as these could be used to create statistical comparisons that take account of only one dimension of school performance and outcomes and do not adjust for the varying social and educational background of students entering these schools as well as the range of learning outcomes not captured in measures of examination performance or school completion. In the absence of a broader range of outcomes such comparisons could therefore impact in a negative way for schools in disadvantaged areas.

It is my policy to facilitate the provision of the broadest and most meaningful information base on school performance through the progressive publication of school inspection reports at primary and post-primary level.