Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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69. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way and when schools can apply for the delivering equality of Delivering Equality of Opportunities in Schools DEIS scheme; if there are to be any pilot schemes under the DEIS programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31109/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy may be aware, a process to review DEIS which began last year is nearing completion and it is my intention to publish a new Plan for Educational Inclusion before the end of this year.

The review is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the range and impact of different elements of the School Support Programme, the potential for innovation within and between schools and its scope for increased integration of services provided by other Departments and Agencies, in order to improve effectiveness.

Among the measures to be included in the plan are a series of pilot schemes aimed at introducing measures which have been shown to work well in improving results for disadvantaged children and students. The plan is expected to include targeted measures in the area of:

- Supporting School leadership

- Developing Networks and clusters for DEIS teachers and schools

- Supporting new teaching methodologies. There is evidence that, for example changing the way literacy is taught to children who struggle can achieve major improvements in results

- Exploring ways in which the work of schools can be better integrated with other state supports within the community.

The results of mainstreaming will be carefully monitored before any decisions around mainstreaming are considered.

As you know no new school has been included in DEIS since 2009, now a new assessment framework is being developed using centrally held CSO and DES data for the identification of new schools for inclusion. The number of schools to be included in the programme will be determined by this proposed new identification process which will assess all schools in the country, including those not currently participating in DEIS. It will not be necessary for schools to make an application.

Implementation of actions arising from the Plan for Educational Inclusion will begin in the 2017/18 school year, and will be a continuing theme in our wider Annual Action Plan for Education.