Emer Higgins (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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468. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when details will be provided on the way in which the process of appealing leaving certificate grades will work; the estimated cost involved; when appeals will be released; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18386/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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A system of Calculated Grades was put in place by my predecessor due to the inability to run the normal Leaving Certificate examinations. The purpose of this process is to allow as many students as possible to progress to employment, further education and training, or higher education in a way that is fair and equitable to all Leaving Certificate students.

On 16 July, I announced that students will receive their Calculated Grades on 7 September. This is the earliest possible release date given the rigorous and robust quality assurance checks required to ensure the process has executed with equity and fairness to all students and to ensure that the 2020 results enjoy the same status as those of previous years. The results will be available in time for Round 1 offers from CAO and UCAS for colleges and universities in Ireland and UK.

A student who is unhappy with their Calculated Grade can appeal to the Department of Education and the appeals process will have three stages.

Stages 1 and 2 will involve checks to ensure that the data processing was completed correctly by the school and the Department of Education.

Stage 3 will involve a review by Appeal Scrutineers, who are independent of the Department of Education.

Finally, students who remain unhappy will have the opportunity to sit an examination later when it is safe and practicable to do so.

Further details of the appeals process will issue to students in due course.