Aodhán Ó Ríordáin (Dublin Bay North, Labour)
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397. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the details of all methods, systems and algorithms which will be used to adjust calculations to leaving certificate grades both those achieved though accredited grades and those achieved through examination; if those grades achieved through examination will be more, less or equally subject to adjustment by the process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23150/21]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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On 17 February, I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades.

This decision followed intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Advisory Group on Planning for State Examinations 2021 and ensures for every student a method to assess their learning and attainment at the end of their post-primary education and to progress to higher and further education, and the world of work.

As part of the SEC Accredited Grades process, schools will be asked to provide school-estimated marks in all subjects for all candidates. These marks will be provided following an in-school alignment process and will be approved at school level. The main purpose of the alignment process is to ensure that all teachers who are providing estimated percentage marks in respect of the same subject in the school are applying standards that are appropriate and are consistent with each other when doing so.

Research makes clear that because teacher judgements are made in the context of each school, they need to be examined and adjusted at a national level to ensure comparability across different schools and that a common national standard is applied. The school estimated percentage marks will be combined with recent national data through a process called standardisation in order to generate SEC Accredited Grades. This standardisation process will seek to mitigate the effects that can arise from different schools, despite their best efforts, applying different standards in their estimation. The process of standardisation at national level will ensure as much fairness as possible amongst this year’s candidates.

The standardisation process will not use historical school by school data on past performance in Leaving Certificate Examinations. Data on the Junior Cycle performance of the Leaving Certificate class of 2021, recent national Leaving Certificate results data and the national distribution of students’ results may form part of this process. Further details of the process will be determined, taking account of advice from the State Examinations Commission (SEC).

The SEC Accredited Grade and examinations outcomes will have regard to the pattern of results in 2020 and previously.