Press Release on new appeals process for next year

rainbowtrout

https://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Press-Releases/2018-press-releases/PR18-11-01.html

01 November, 2018 - Ministers announce significant changes to process of Leaving Certificate examination appeals and entry to higher education
Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh T.D., and Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D., have today (1st November 2018) announced significant changes to the Leaving Certificate examination appeals process from 2019. The changes will mean that, in future, students who appeal the results of the Leaving Certificate will be informed by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) of the outcome of their appeals much earlier than has previously been possible.

In cases where students have applied for course places in Higher Education via the Central Applications Office (CAO), and where their appeal result means they could obtain a higher course preference, they will in most cases now be able to take up that preference in the current academic year, rather than have their offer deferred by a year. The higher education institutions (HEIs) will also strengthen the structured supports provided for those appeal students who begin a higher education course shortly after first year has begun, to ensure that they are not disadvantaged. The HEIs have advised that, in 2019, no First Year Undergraduate academic classes in HEIs will start earlier than the second week of September.

In 2019 the results of the Leaving Certificate appeals will be released to students in the week beginning 16th September, a full three weeks earlier than the normal timeframe (Wednesday 10th October in 2018). This fundamental re-engineering of the appeals process includes a combination of earlier releases of provisional results of the Leaving Certificate and of CAO Round 1 offers to students, bringing forward the process whereby students are able to view their examination scripts in advance of deciding to submit an appeal, having appeals examiners mark scripts on a full-time basis rather than only at evenings and weekends, and a streamlining of the overall appeals logistics. In 2019, provisional results of the Leaving Certificate will be issued to students on Tuesday, 13th August, while CAO Round 1 offers will be issued to students by Friday 16th August.

In the longer term it is anticipated that the planned movement of the examinations marking system from a paper-based to an online model over the next three years could further improve the appeals timeframe.

The changes announced today follow on the judgement in a recent High Court Judicial Review case, taken by a student (Rebecca Carter), who claimed that the current timeframe for processing Leaving Certificate appeals meant that, in the event of a successful appeal of her results which would give her a higher course preference, she would not be able to commence that course in the current academic year, but would instead be required to accept a deferred offer for the following year. In his judgement, Mr. Justice Humphreys stated that the current system is highly unfair to students and cannot be repeated. The judge also ordered the SEC to accelerate completion of the appeal process on behalf of Ms Carter. Following this accelerated completion of the appeal process, Ms Carter was successful in her appeal and was offered a place in Veterinary Medicine in UCD which she took up on 1st October.

While the measures announced today are a recognition by all parties concerned of the need for improvements in the Leaving Certificate Appeals process and subsequent entry to higher education, the Department of Education and Skills and the State Examinations Commission will be appealing certain broad Constitutional and legal issues raised by the judgement and findings relating to aspects of the examinations system. These appeals will, however, in no way affect the Plaintiff in the Judicial Review case, Ms Carter.

Speaking today, Minister McHugh said “My Department has engaged extensively with the State Examinations Commission, the Irish Universities Association and the Technological Higher Education Association on this matter over the last number of weeks. Together we have been considering the outcome of the judgement and how best to help our students in the coming years.

“The State Examinations Commission is making significant changes to its appeals process as part of this. Of course, there will be challenges in its implementation and this will require support and assistance from schools and examination correctors to ensure it can be done. I am confident that these changes, together with the measures being introduced by the Higher Education Institutions, will significantly improve the position for students who appeal their results from next year onwards.”

Minister Mitchell O’Connor added “To help support students who are appealing Leaving Certificate results, the IUA and THEA have agreed that no First Year Undergraduate academic classes will begin prior to the second week in September in 2019. This will minimise the class time lost by students who are offered a higher preference CAO offer.

“As well as this, higher education institutions will offer improved supports for students who begin, or change courses, after the start of first year orientation, including academic supports where needed. This will ensure that students are given the best opportunity in their course.”

Notes to Editor

The issue to students of provisional results of the Leaving Certificate has traditionally been 10 weeks from the first day of the examinations. The new proposed timeline moves the issuing of these results forward by one day (to Tuesday 13th August in 2019), and this will be followed by the release to students of CAO Round 1 offers by Friday 16th August.

The current appeals process takes approximately 8 weeks from the date of issuing provisional results to the issue of appeals results. The measures being announced today reduce that process to 5 weeks.

Indicative Timeline for Leaving Certificate Appeals

Key Dates

2019

Leaving Certificate Provisional Results issued to students

Tuesday, 13th August

CAO Round 1 Offers issued to students

Friday, 16th August

Viewing of scripts in schools by students who apply to view them

Mid-week of week-beginning Monday 19th August

Appeal closing date

Late week-beginning Monday 19th August

Appeals Results issued to students

Between Wednesday, 18th September and Friday 20th September

The judgement issued in this case by the High Court on 3rd October 2018 contained findings in relation to a new Constitutional right of access to higher education, which did not previously exist and which the Department considers is not correct in law. The Department wishes to have this issue fully considered by the Court of Appeal.

I presume this would mean they would want appeal examiners correcting on the last week of August and have it done over say 2-3 days correcting fulltime.

evolving_doors

The judgement issued in this case by the High Court on 3rd October 2018 contained findings in relation to a new Constitutional right of access to higher education, which did not previously exist and which the Department considers is not correct in law. The Department wishes to have this issue fully considered by the Court of Appeal.

It's nice to see the dept's legal team earning a few quid anyway.
The money spent on a week of that folly would probably fund the overtime needed to get the appeals done early by examiners.

rainbowtrout

evolving_doors wrote: »

It's nice to see the dept's legal team earning a few quid anyway.
The money spent on a week of that folly would probably fund the overtime needed to get the appeals done early by examiners.

That and the fact that the whole fiasco with that case this year means that the system had to change as the floodgates would be wide open with court cases next year if they didn't. And they would all win as a precedent would be set. It seems largely pointless appealing at this stage.

happywithlife

schools are back by last week in august at the latest and very often midway through the 2nd last week so not sure how the fulltime correcting will work in that timeframe?

Also consider the cohort correcting is more & more younger teachers who need to be available for interview at this time of year - I've personally had conflict of marking vs interviews in the past. It may be workable but just another aspect to consider if the timeframe is so short as to be 2/3 days it doesn't allow any leeway.

also the article still states "MOST" students will be able to take up courses in the current academic year -- most is not ALL so do they still anticipate problems?

There's no mention of the totting issue - I'd have thought an obvious thing to do is direct all appeals based on solely tot errors - regardless of whether they are inside/outside of the script - to be directed one route to correct tot errors without nccesarily remarking the whole paper - surely this would take a not insignificant number of 'appeals' out of the framework?

evolving_doors

happywithlife wrote: »

schools are back by last week in august at the latest and very often midway through the 2nd last week so not sure how the fulltime correcting will work in that timeframe?

Also consider the cohort correcting is more & more younger teachers who need to be available for interview at this time of year - I've personally had conflict of marking vs interviews in the past. It may be workable but just another aspect to consider if the timeframe is so short as to be 2/3 days it doesn't allow any leeway.

also the article still states "MOST" students will be able to take up courses in the current academic year -- most is not ALL so do they still anticipate problems?

There's no mention of the totting issue - I'd have thought an obvious thing to do is direct all appeals based on solely tot errors - regardless of whether they are inside/outside of the script - to be directed one route to correct tot errors without nccesarily remarking the whole paper - surely this would take a not insignificant number of 'appeals' out of the framework?

If the school could submit an electronic copy electronically to a database (specifying subject / level etc.) Then the sec could release it to a marker fairly quickly. I presume the procedure is to post back the hard copy is it?

linguist

It's clear that this is a press release being issued before the specific procedures are in place. The biggest elephant in the room remains recruiting a sufficient number of examiners to reduce the burden on individual correctors - and this can only be achieved by significantly improving the remuneration for the job.

That said, we all know that many examiners are not currently teaching for one reason or another, including being retired. This has been a bugbear of many posters here over the years. I expect those who commit to examining the appeals will need to come from among those who are not required back in class. Otherwise, they are going to have to provide paid cover for absent teachers as is done for orals, practicals etc. If the unions are any way clued in, I would expect them to seek urgent clarification from the SEC as to its intentions since it seems wrong that serving teachers would miss out on this work.

pandoraj09

Examiners are only given a small number of scripts to remark. This year I got 20. It only takes a few days. The closing date for sending them back is always a bit vague. From my own experience of remarking the new dates set would not be an issue.

pandoraj09

linguist wrote: »

It's clear that this is a press release being issued before the specific procedures are in place. The biggest elephant in the room remains recruiting a sufficient number of examiners to reduce the burden on individual correctors - and this can only be achieved by significantly improving the remuneration for the job.

That said, we all know that many examiners are not currently teaching for one reason or another, including being retired. This has been a bugbear of many posters here over the years. I expect those who commit to examining the appeals will need to come from among those who are not required back in class. Otherwise, they are going to have to provide paid cover for absent teachers as is done for orals, practicals etc. If the unions are any way clued in, I would expect them to seek urgent clarification from the SEC as to its intentions since it seems wrong that serving teachers would miss out on this work.

This is not true at all.

spurious

The results being issued one day earlier gives the SEC very little wriggle room for subjects where there are multiple changes in the marking scheme and subsequent re-examining. Things are already very tight in a couple of subjects.

linguist

pandoraj09, I have also served as an appeals examiner. I do not appreciate your one sentence put-down which seeks to dismiss my contribution without providing any explanation as to why it is not factual in your view. So much for formative comments! I know very well what I am talking about having worked as an examiner for many years. Indeed, I am surprised that the mods allow such dismissive comments to be posted which add nothing to the informed discussion taking place but only serve to belittle those who post here and whose posts, for whatever reason, are deficient in the eyes of others.

We are talking about a change here where examiners will be required to give their full time attention to the marking - even for a modest number of scripts. If you have read the press release in full, that is what it states. For oral and practical exams, teachers are 'seconded' from their schools to the SEC and paid cover is provided. During the main written marking, teachers are on leave from teaching. As at least one other poster pointed out, many schools now return as early as the second last week in August, thus meaning that teachers could not, as things stand, devote their full time to marking the appeals. Now, kindly tell me where I have erred if you are privy to detail which the rest of us are not.

rainbowtrout

linguist wrote: »

During the main written marking, teachers are on leave from teaching. As at least one other poster pointed out, many schools now return as early as the second last week in August, thus meaning that teachers could not, as things stand, devote their full time to marking the appeals.

Ya, the dates don't add up in the press release for that bit. If Monday 19th is appeals day and they have until late in the week to appeal then the earliest an appeal examiner would be likely to get scripts would be Monday 26th, but that is typically when schools are reopening, even when schools don't officially open until later that week schools are usually doing at least one CP day.

happywithlife

rainbowtrout wrote: »

Ya, the dates don't add up in the press release for that bit. If Monday 19th is appeals day and they have until late in the week to appeal then the earliest an appeal examiner would be likely to get scripts would be Monday 26th, but that is typically when schools are reopening, even when schools don't officially open until later that week schools are usually doing at least one CP day.

in my school at least those early days are often when valuable information for the upcoming year is distributed and a chance to do some subject planning etc. is given -- I'd be extremely relucant to forgo those in favour of marking appeals. And full time correcting with the SEC means just that - its fairly full on. It may be doable quicker with online correcting but as far as i know we're a few years away from that yet for leaving cert