Significant gaps remain between educational outcomes of students in disadvantaged second-level schools and others despite the success of targeted Government investment.

New research has found that students who got lower points in their Leaving Cert are most likely to drop out of third level education.

More schools will be resourced in Education Minister Richard Bruton’s plan to tackle educational disadvantage, but supports should be much better focused than in the past.

Allocation of Government funds could see Deis funding dropped

A significant number of extra schools will get more supports from September under the first major changes to Government efforts, in over a decade, to tackle educational disadvantage.

The levels of support for schools with the most disadvantaged pupils may not be enough, new research suggests.