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Some 6,100 students have earned improved Leaving Cert grades following a review of the calculated grade system.
The Education and Skills Department said it will reopen the Calculated Grades for Students portal at 6:00 pm and that all students who should receive corrected and higher grades will be able to access their revised results.
Describing the findings of the review, Education Minister Norma Foley said:
- 5,408 students will receive a higher grade, by a grade band, in a subject.
- 621 students will receive a higher grade, by a grade band, in two subjects.
- 71 students will receive a higher grade, by a grade band, in three or more subjects.
- Overall, 6,870 grades will increase affecting 6,100 students.
He said that 614 schools and other centers recognized as having the Certificate of Completion will have one or more improved results.
No student will receive a lower grade.
There are 614 schools and other centers recognized as having the Certificate of Completion that will have one or more improved results, out of a total of 741.
After finding errors in the code used by the National Calculated Grades standardization process, the Ministry of Education commissioned the Education Testing Services (ETS) to provide an independent expert opinion on the coding.
He raised two questions. The first was an error that occurred in the use of data, where a student did not sit all three core subjects in Junior Cycle.
In those cases, the system was designed to use the average national junior cycle score, in the missing subject, of the group of students who obtained their completion certificate in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020.
Instead, he chose that student’s next best subject to include in the group calculation.
The second issue raised by ETS was how the algorithm handled student scores at the extremes of the scale.
ETS noted that the treatment did not exactly match what is described in the national standardization group’s report and confirmed that this has no significant impact on the results.
This problem pertains to students whose grades are 99 percent or more, and those whose grades are one percent or less. The ETS statement says that a student could not have received a lower grade as a result of this issue.
“Last week I expressed my regret to the students for what had happened. I want to reiterate that today, ”Ms. Foley said.
He noted that this year’s Leaving Cert students had had “an exceptionally difficult year. I’m sorry about that. And I regret that this last week has given more uncertainty ”.
Last week, the department defended its decision to hire Canadian firm Polymetrika, which the minister said was responsible for the coding error that resulted in the issuance of incorrect ratings.
The Department of Education paid a total of € 163,000 without a tender.
The department said a full acquisition process was not carried out because there was “not enough time” to do so.
Polymetrika International Inc’s registered address – 150 Hinchey Avenue – is a residential home in Ottawa, according to company records.
- There is a Department of Education helpline for students at: (01) 8892199 and it will be open today until 7 pm
- It will open between 11:00 and 16:00 on Sunday.
- Email inquiries can be sent to: [email protected].
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