€200m disadvantaged fund fails to improve reading and maths

MORE THAN €200 million in funding given to schools to help disadvantaged pupils has failed to deliver progress on reading and maths among the students, the Department of Education has found.

Around €213m is being spent this year, up from €180m in 2005, on staffing and other supports for almost 700 primary schools and 200 second-level schools with the highest levels of poverty among their students.

The department has just completed an evaluation of primary schools with the heaviest rates of funding and extra resources to combat educational disadvantage