0032/2006
To: The Management Authorities of Second-level schools
Grants towards the purchase cost of test materials for guidance and/or learning support in Post- Primary schools
1.Grants towards the purchase cost of test materials for use in second level schools byrecognised guidance and/or learning support teachers are available in accordance with the terms of this Circular. The grants available cover 75% of the cost of materials purchased by the school, subject to the maximum amounts set out below. The scheme is restricted to the purchase of published tests and thenecessary carriage charges and duties associated with their purchase.
2.The following grants are available to schools in respect of the school year 2005/2006.
* No. of Students2005/2006 / Guidance Counsellor (s)
Only / Learning support Teacher Only / Guidance and
Learning Support Teachers
Less than 300 / €76.18 / €25.39 / €101.57
300-450 / €101.58 / €31.74 / €133.32
450-600 / €126.97 / €38.09 / €165.06
More than 600 / €152.37 / €50.79 / €203.16
*Enrolment as at 30th September 2005
In view of the high initial cost incurred by schools establishing a guidance/learning support service, the amount of grant payable will be increased by €126.97 in the first year in which the grant is paid.
3.Schools wishing to apply for the grant should submit receipted invoices together with the application form duly completed to the address below to reach the Department no later than Friday 23rd June 2006.
(Application form for 2005/06 is attached).
4.School authorities must provide information concerning the tests in use in their
schools, if requested to do so by the Department, and as part of WholeSchool
Evaluation and subject inspection.
- A list of some of the tests most commonly used in schools is attached. Schools wishing to obtain a grant for tests other than those listed may be asked to provide additional information to the Department. It should be noted however, that many of the tests listed do not include Irish norms, and some have not been revised for a number of years. Care should be taken by users to research accurately the currency and validity of tests before making choices. Professional teacher associations may be in a position to advise on the appropriateness of tests being selected.
6. Test users should take all reasonable precautions to safeguard test materials and records of test results. In this regard, the use of locked desks or files should be considered to be a minimal requirement in maintaining test security.
- In addition, care should be taken in schools to ensure that testing is only undertaken for appropriate purposes, and that tests are used by personnel trained in the selection, administration and interpretation of test data. Since testing is based on an individual’s performance at a particular time, no test is fully reliable. Therefore, extreme care must be taken to use test results in conjunction with the outcomes of other assessment modes to provide an evaluation of students’ performance and to plan interventions to meet needs. Decisions to use tests should always be made in accordance with the school’s agreed approach to testing and be in line with subject planning.
8. Your attention is also drawn to the requirements of the Data Protection Act, 1998 and the Department’s Circular (Ref: Circular DPAEd 3/89: Data Protection Act 1998) in this regard.
9.Payment of the grants can only be made on foot of receipted invoices.
10.It is not possible to accumulate grants i.e. to add the amount claimed from one year to the next. The total grant available to any school in any year would be the same whether or not the previous year’s grant was fully claimed.
11.The payment of grants under the scheme is subject to funds being available. The Minister may alter, modify, or withdraw the scheme at any time, either generally or in the case of a particular school.
12.All correspondence in connection with this scheme should be addressed to:
Department of Education & Science,
Post-Primary Administration 4,
Portlaoise Road,
Tullamore,
Co. Offaly.
Envelopes should be marked “Test Grant Scheme”.
Matt Ryan
Principal Officer.
April 2006.
Tests in common use in Second Level Schools
This list is not intended as an exhaustive list of all tests available, nor is it a recommended list of tests for use in schools. Testing in schools should be carried out in a planned way and only in accordance with school planning of the curriculum and student support measures. It should be used to assist students to gain a greater knowledge of personal abilities and attributes and to support learning and decision-making processes.
Those wishing to use tests to assess students’ performance or aptitude should seek advice and appropriate training from the professional body or subject support group to which they belong, as to the suitability and validity (and culture fairness) of tests to be used with particular students or with groups. Furthermore, all tests should be administered only by trained personnel, stored appropriately and used in a discretionary manner in accordance with set procedures and practices outlined in Circular Letter 0032/2006.
It should also be noted that most of the tests listed below do not have Irish norms. Test users should check with the publishers of particular tests when they were last standardised and seek out the most recently up-dated versions.
General Ability
Drumcondra Reasoning Test
AH 2/3
Cognitive Abilities Test
NFER Verbal Reasoning Test 12/14
NFER Non-Verbal Reasoning Test 12/13
Standard Progressive Matrices
Non Reading Intelligence Test
Birbeck Ability Test
Reading & Spelling
NFER Group Reading Test 9-14
Cloze Reading Test
Gap Reading Test
Widespan Reading Test
MICRA-T
Neale Analysis of Reading Ability
Dyslexia Screening Test
Aston Index
Parallel Spelling Test
Graded Word Spelling Test
Diagnostic Spelling Test
British Spelling Scales
Get Reading Right (Jackson)
Young Group Reading Test
Single Word Spelling Test
Mathematics
Graded Arithmetic Test
Drumcondra Attainment Tests
Drumcondra Criterion Referenced Maths Test
SIGMA-T
Profile of Mathemetical Skills
Tests used in Career Guidance
Differential Aptitude Tests
Career Interest Inventory
Vocational Interest Inventory
Study Habits Evaluation and Instruction Kit
Occupational Interest Rating Scale
Applied Knowledge Test
Rothwell Miller Interest Blank
Mooney PCL
Porteous PCL
Cattell’s HSPQ
Grants towards the purchase cost of test materials for use in Post-Primary Schools
APPLICATION FORM 2005/06
School Details
Roll No. / Name of School / School Address / Telephone No.Details of Recognised Guidance Teacher(s)
Teacher’s Name / Qualifications Held / Where ObtainedDetails of Recognised Learning Support Teacher(s)
Teacher’s Name / Qualifications Held / Where Obtained- Number of pupils enrolled in the school on 30th September 2005: ______
- Total cost of materials purchased: €______(paragraph 5 of circular 0023/2006)
- First year of school’s application for grant? Yes No (tick as appropriate)
I have read the Department’s Circular 0032/2006 concerning the test grants scheme and I accept the conditions laid down therein.
I certify the accuracy of the above information and I undertake, in consideration of the payment to me of the appropriate grant towards the expenditure shown above, that the material shall be used solely for the purposes described in the Circular 0032/2006 governing the scheme. I further undertake, should any refund or other return of money be made to me in connection with the materials described on the attached invoices, to immediately refund to the Department of Education & Science the appropriate proportion of the grant paid in respect of those materials.
SIGNED: ______
(Management Authority / Principal Teacher)
DATE: ______