ISSU issues Letter of Concern to Minister Foley regarding Calculated Grades Standardisation Process

Today, Tuesday 18th August 2020, the ISSU has issued a Letter of Concern to Minister Norma Foley regarding the national standardisation process of Leaving Certificate grades. This follows the release of standardised results in the United Kingdom and the following revoking of these grades and awarding of previously predicted grades in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. 

The letter reads as follows;

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Dear Minister Norma Foley,

The ISSU is calling for  written confirmation that the national standardisation process will not advantage or disadvantage any students receiving Leaving Certificate results in September 2020. It is vital that the Irish education system does not have a repeat of the dreadful impact on students which we have seen in the United Kingdom.

Nicola Sturgeon MSP, recently noted a crucial point stating  that they had “focused on the system - not on the individual.” In this time of uncertainty, the Irish education system has a chance to learn from the mistakes made using a similar grading model, to make sure that our calculated grades system is at the best standard it can be and is a successful process that does not advantage or disadvantage an individual based on location, gender or school status.

We need to look at what has happened in other countries,see the mistakes that were made and make sure they don't happen here. 

Students have put their trust in the Department of Education and Skills to ensure that the calculated grades process will be a fair and equitable one. Continuously noted throughout the establishment of this model was the professional ability of our teachers and schools to award students accurately and adequately on their work. This professional judgement should not be overlooked and altered based on a statistical algorithm never to have been trialled previously.  We have confidence that your department will work to ensure that the negative impact of standardisation seen in results released over the last number of weeks does not reoccur in Ireland and that the hard work of our students and the teachers will not be downgraded based on statistical figures . The ISSU feels this is necessary to emphasize again that it is essential that the national standardisation process does not advantage or disadvantage any student. Students should be awarded the grades merited by their teachers.  

Evidently, the calculated grades process cannot be reviewed until the grades have been released; however, we would like to reiterate the students' trust in the department and expectations to deliver a fair alternative in this process for students as previously promised. 

The ISSU is asking that you will arrange for a comprehensive review of the calculated grades standardisation process immediately following the release of this year's results. Following the release of the results we would also ask for the department to release the statistical model and algorithm implemented in the calculated grading process to allow for  independent evaluation. 

We eagerly await your response.

Reuban Murray

ISSU President