Leaving Certificate 2020 Calculated Grades: Statements
Dail Éireann — 2020-10-01
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Norma Foley (FF), Kerry

It is my understanding that the then Minister signed off on the calculated grades process on 8 May. The exact time and date of the signing of a contract with Polymetrika is not available to me at this point in time. The Deputy will appreciate that it was some considerable time ago but I will make every effort to furnish that to him should he require it. I will ask my Department to do that.
In respect of the aspects he has raised, I am not a statistician or an expert in any aspect of psychometrics but the Deputy mentioned the notion of oversight, quality, validation and so on. In terms of oversight, a series of mechanisms were put in place comprising the national standardisation group; the independent steering committee chaired by Dr. Áine Lawlor, formerly of the Teaching Council; the international external reviewer, Dr. Janet Brown of the Scottish Qualifications Authority; and the Educational and Research Centre, which was running a parallel system. Through that system, validations and checks, etc., were taking place. All of that was put in place and documentation relating to this has been made available on the website. If there is further specific information the Deputy requires, I will ensure my officials make it available to him.

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Record URI: https://data.oireachtas.ie/akn/ie/debateRecord/dail/2020-10-01/debate/main
Retrieved: 2026-08-14T04:48:38+00:00
Sitting date: 2020-10-01