Written Answers Nos. 438-457
438. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of prefabs being used in primary and post primary schools across the State; the cost of these prefabs to the State, per county, in tabular form; the number of these prefabs that are being rented; the number that are being rented from foreign companies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32486/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraTemporary accommodation in schools may be rented or purchased and funded by my department or by the school authority itself, with or without department sanction. For that reason it is not possible to provide the Deputy with a complete picture in respect of all temporary accommodation at schools as requested.
As the Deputy will appreciate, within the context of a rapidly increasing school population my department's priority is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place. In this regard, it is sometimes necessary to make use of temporary accommodation in order to meet the accommodation needs of schools.
The timing and duration of the accommodation need is also considered in determining the optimum accommodation solution – a short-term accommodation requirement does not require a long-term accommodation solution. For example, a school may require a temporary building in circumstances where a major school construction project is planned. Such temporary accommodation is removed when the major project concerned is completed. The length of time it is necessary to make use of temporary rented accommodation will vary from project to project.
Many schools based in rented buildings and on rented sites are already part of the pipeline of projects under the school building programme and their longer-term accommodation will be addressed as part of these projects. Maximising the opportunities to achieve value for money involves matching, as best as possible, the accommodation requirement with the appropriate accommodation solution. This is relevant for all accommodation projects progressed by my department.
The changing landscape in relation to enrolments means that accommodation requirements can vary locally and regionally and between short, medium and long-term and this is a relevant factor considered by my department in determining the type of accommodation solution to be put in place.
All current prefab providers of rental accommodation are situated in Ireland. Currently there are 476 primary and post primary schools which have rental accommodation on site.
439. Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department’s website employs analytics tools (details supplied) that track website traffic using UTM parameters (for example, utm_source); if so, whether any visits have been recorded with a specific parameter or similar identifiers indicating traffic from ChatGPT; and to provide the monthly number of such visits, if recorded, for each of the past 12 months, in tabular form. [32497/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy department's website, www.education.ie, is part of the GOV.IE platform, which is the portal for government services and information.
As the OGCIO, (Office of the Government Chief Information Officer), a division of DPENDR, hosts and manages the GOV.IE platform, my department does not use any analytical tools to track its website traffic. The Deputy may wish choose to ask his question directly to the OGCIO.
440. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on a school building project for a school (details supplied); to outline the timeline for this project; when the school can expect to move through the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32521/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers was approved to enter the department’s pipeline for a project under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The project was approved to provide for 2 Mainstream classrooms (Prefab replacement), 3 Classroom SEN base, and 2 SET rooms. The project was devolved to the school authority for delivery.
In response to a request for an enhancement in the accommodation provided by the department, and considering the time that has passed since the original project for this school was approved, officials from my Department in consultation with the school have agreed to undertake a review of the schools current ASA project. This review is currently underway and is intended to ensure that appropriate and sustainable provision is made for the school and its wider community, both now and into the future.
Engagement with the school will continue throughout the review process and any outcomes or next steps will be communicated directly to the school once the review has concluded.
441. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth if a response will issue to a school (details supplied) that have been denied a SNA without any detail on the reason the decision was reached. [32524/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. The NCSE has advised my department that all schools have been informed of their SNA allocations for the 2025/26 school year.
The NCSE is responsible for the allocation of SNAs to schools, my department does not have a role in the allocation process. I have forwarded the details of the school to them for their attention and direct reply.
Deputies are also welcome to raise such matters with the NCSE directly through their dedicated Oireachtas query line at oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie
442. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason her Department agreed to provide an autism class for a school in 2023 (details supplied) and then refused funding this April; and when the full amount of funding needed will be provided. [32543/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe NCSE have advised my Department that they do not intend to sanction a new special class at the school referred to by the Deputy at this time as there is sufficient provision available in other new special classes opening. If the NCSE were to consider this school for a new special class, my Department can then consider the accommodation needs of the school.
The department works closely with the NCSE on the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. The need for special educational provision is identified with consideration to demographical and statistical data and in regard to an areas existing school provision and future capability. In addition, part of the process looks at how far students are travelling to access an education appropriate to their needs. This is an important factor which has been incorporated into the decision-making process. Consideration is also given to the information the NCSE hold at local level on the number of children seeking a special school place in a region.
The NCSE will, in so far as possible, sanction classes where existing accommodation exists to facilitate that class. Where there is known demand, however, and no available accommodation the NCSE may sanction a class and my department will liaise with the school to provide extra accommodation to support the establishment of that class. Where classes will not open in time for student enrolment, contingency arrangements are often made to facilitate the class elsewhere until such time the new accommodation is in situ. This allows for major reconfiguration works to be fully considered and the viability of such projects examined. The vast majority of such works are progressed however, in a small number of cases, while awaiting works and due to the passage of time it may no longer be viable for the sanction of the class to remain due to a shift in known demand or another local school receiving sanction.
The main focus this year by the NCSE has been on medium and larger primary schools with available accommodation and no existing special class to open a new special class for the 2025/26 school year.?This will ensure that classes can open quickly as existing accommodation can be reconfigured in a more streamlined and efficient manner but also that new provision is established in as many schools as possible. This provides parents more options when deciding which schools to apply to and ensures that provision continues to grow in a diverse number of schools across regions.?This should also help in reducing the distances that some children are travelling to access a special class place.
However, as in other years where schools have no available accommodation, particularly at post-primary level and there is known demand in a local area, my department will continue to provide additional classroom accommodation to provide necessary places.
I want to assure?you also that my department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.
443. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a school (details supplied) that was granted funding by her Department in December 2024 for additional space needed in September 2025, will finally be contacted by the design team given the school was promised contact in February. [32544/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question has accepted a brief for a traditional building project consisting of 4 mainstream general classrooms, 3 special educational tuition rooms and 2 special education classrooms under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €6 billion in our schools throughout the country under the National Development Plan (NDP), involving the completion of over 1,375 school building projects.? Government support for this investment, including by way of supplementary capital funding, has delivered real benefits for school communities.? A recent Government decision has approved €210m supplementary capital funding for my department to support the provision of special education accommodation and meet school place needs.? This brings the total capital allocation for 2025 for my department to €1.6bn.
As part of the NDP Review process, all departments, including my department, are currently engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform with respect to NDP allocations for the period 2026-2030.? It is expected that there will be clarity on these allocations over the course of the summer period, and this will allow my department to plan its capital investment programme for the 2026 to 2030 period in line with prioritised needs and reflecting, as appropriate, wider Government priorities. Maximising existing capacity in schools to meet needs is very important.? The progression of prioritised individual projects to meet the most urgent needs in the 2026 to 2030 period that cannot be met through existing capacity across schools in the local area will be considered on a rolling basis from Autumn onwards after the NDP allocations are finalised.
I can assure the Deputy that my department is very cognisant of the urgency around the delivery of accommodation for the new school year and is working to advance matters as quickly as possible. The provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for my department. My officials are working to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet the school place needs in the school in question and the wider school planning area for future years.
444. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth when contact will be made with a school (details supplied) that has been looking for a reply from her Department since January. [32549/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Council For Special Education has sanctioned 399 of the 400 new special classes for the 2025/26 school year. The NCSE is confident that this new provision when added to the existing provision will meet the known demand for the 2025/26 school year.
This year the NCSE focused on medium and larger primary schools with available accommodation and no existing special class to open a new special class for the 2025/26 school year. This will ensure that classes can open quickly as existing accommodation can be reconfigured in a more streamlined and efficient manner but also that new provision is established in as many schools as possible. This provides parents more options when deciding which schools to apply to and ensures that provision continues to grow in a diverse number of schools across regions. This should also help in reducing the distances that some children are travelling to access a special class place.
However, as in other years where schools have no available accommodation, particularly at post-primary level and there is known demand in a local area, my department will continue to provide additional classroom accommodation to provide necessary places.
The NCSE actively encourage expressions of interest from schools to open special classes, and I appreciate and commend the efforts taken by boards of management in expressing their interest. However, it is not always possible to open a special class in every school that expresses an interest.
When assessing the needs in the local area, the NCSE identify schools in the neighbouring vicinity with available special class vacancies or capacity and assess their capability with consideration to demographical and statistical data.
Schools not sanctioned this year, such as the school referred to by the Deputy will remain as a potential option for future classes. Local SENOs remain available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs.
My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements remain available for children with special educational needs.
445. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the additional space promised for a school (details supplied) will be open by September 2025. [32550/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise that officials within my department are working closely with the Project Management team to ensure that this urgent additional accommodation is delivered to the school, in the quickest timeframe possible.
446. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools in Dublin 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12, in tabular form. [32564/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraPlease find attached requested data for academic years 2023-2024, it being the latest year we have published final enrolment data.
We expect to publish final data for academic year 2024-2025 shortly and we will revert to the deputy with the data for 2024-2025 when it has been published.
Data is taken from the POD and PPOD databases as per the annual published school lists which can be found at the link below. All enrolments are as per the census date, 30th September, for each year.
www.gov.ie/en/collection/63363b-data-on-individual-schools/.
Academic year 2023-2024
|
School Planning Area |
Primary Schools |
Special Schools |
Post-Primary |
Total |
|
Dolphin's Barn_D12 |
17 |
4 |
8 |
29 |
|
Ballyfermot_D10 |
11 |
1 |
1 |
13 |
|
Dublin_6w |
7 |
2 |
4 |
13 |
|
Dublin_8 |
16 |
1 |
5 |
22 |
|
Dublin2_Dublin4 |
11 |
3 |
9 |
23 |
|
Dublin6_Clonskeagh |
14 |
1 |
9 |
24 |
|
Total |
76 |
12 |
36 |
124 |
447. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of schools providing summer education programme in the post code of Dublin 12. [32565/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraDetails of this year’s School-based Summer Programme were published on the 13th of February 2025. Funding of €62 million was secured in Budget 2025 to ensure the continuance of the €40 million annual investment that has been provided for since 2021. As in previous years, all of the funding will be utilised to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children.
All schools have an opportunity to run a programme over the summer months for those children who need it the most so that these children can continue to be supported, nurtured and encouraged to engage in a fun and inclusive educational setting.
The main priority again in 2025 is that those children with the most complex special educational needs, especially in special schools, should have access to a school-based summer programme. Where their school is not running a Summer Programme or a place on a school-based programme is unavailable, the Home-based programme is also available for pupils with complex special educational needs.
The Online Registration Portal for the 2025 School-based Summer Programme closed on the 11th of April 2025. Currently, over 1,800 schools have registered for more than 2,000 schemes in the 2025 Summer Programme.
A breakdown of the schools who have registered to run the 2025 School-based Summer Programme in Dublin 12 is as follows:
|
Post Code |
Special Schools |
Post Primary Schools |
Primary Schools* |
Total |
|
Dublin 12 |
3 |
2 |
12 |
17 |
*DEIS Primary Schools have the option to run one or more schemes as part of their School-based Summer Programme, such as the Primary School Scheme and DEIS Literacy & Numeracy Summer Camps. The number of primary schools listed does not necessarily indicate the number of schemes they have opted to participate in.
The final breakdown in relation to school participation will only be available after all summer programmes have concluded.
448. Deputy Jen Cummins asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of children that have left school before completing the Leaving Certificate or Leaving Certificate Applied, in the past five years, in tabular form. [32566/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe most recent figures available concerns the students who began their post primary education in 2017. This cohort were due to complete their Leaving Certificate in the academic years 2021-22 or 2022-23. Figures for the 2018 cohort finishing in 2023-24 are yet to be published. The following table shows the number for pupils leaving school before completing their Leaving Certificate:
|
Year Post Primary Education Commenced |
Total who left school prior to completing Leaving Cert |
|
2013 |
5,259 |
|
2014 |
5,169 |
|
2015 |
4,912 |
|
2016 |
5,324 |
|
2017 |
6,398 |
The following table shows the number of students leaving school before completing their Leaving Certificate Applied for the 2016 and 2017 cohorts, these students are included in the overall Leaving Certificate figures above:
|
Year Post Primary Education Commenced |
Total who left school prior to completing Leaving Cert Applied |
|
2016 |
697 |
|
2017 |
803 |
The breakdown of figures by Programme Type began with 2016 cohort. Figures for Leaving Certificate Applied completion rates are unavailable before this time.
Reports detailing retention rates in our post primary schools can be found here:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-education/collections/retention/.
449. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if the 1,600 additional SNA posts promised by her have been awarded. [32626/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
I know the central role that our special needs assistants (SNAs) play in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
That is why the number of SNAs available for allocation has continued to increase annually resulting in more SNAs than ever now being employed in our schools.
Budget 2025 provided for 1,600 SNAs, the largest number ever allocated in a single year, meaning the total number of SNAs available in our schools in September will be 23,179. This is more than double the number of SNAs that were in our schools 10 years ago.
As the Deputy knows, it is the role of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to manage the allocations of SNAs across the country and to ensure that all of the additional SNAs provided for by this government are allocated to schools to support those children with the highest level of need so they get the highest level of support.
The NCSE also now has a full complement of staffing so have the resources and supports to ensure they can do their work effectively and in a timely manner. The NCSE advised all schools on the week of 6 June of their SNA allocation for the upcoming school year.
450. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if there are now over 23,600 SNAs for the coming academic year. [32627/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
I know the central role that our SNAs play in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
That is why the number of SNAs available for allocation has continued to increase annually resulting in more SNAs than ever now being employed in our schools.
Budget 2025 provided for 1,600 SNAs, the largest number ever allocated in a single year, meaning the total number of SNAs available in our schools in September will be 23,179. This is more than double the number of SNAs that were in our schools 10 years ago.
As the Deputy knows, it is the role of the National Council for Special Education to manage the allocations of SNAs across the country and to ensure that all of the additional SNAs provided for by this Government are allocated to schools to support those children with the highest level of need so they get the highest level of support.
The NCSE also now has a full complement of staffing so have the resources and supports to ensure they can do their work effectively and in a timely manner.
It is important that we continue to meet this need across our education system and as you know the Programme for Government commits to recruitment of additional SNAs to provide greater support to students and schools. We will continue to engage through the Estimates process to ensure that we can meet the needs of all children in our schools.
451. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the number of SNA posts that are part-time hours or job-sharing posts. [32628/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe position is that there are currently 23,452 SNAs working in schools. Of these 2,362 hold junior posts (working 26.5 hours). There are also 4,210 SNAs who are job-sharing or work part-time.
452. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she plans to reverse the national budgetary cap on SNA posts. [32629/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis government is fully committed to supporting children with special educational needs to fulfil their potential and the Programme for Government makes a number of commitments to deliver on this objective.
I know the central role that our special needs assistants (SNAs) play in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs in schools to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
That is why the number of SNAs available for allocation has continued to increase annually resulting in more SNAs than ever now being employed in our schools. Budget 2025 provided for 1,600 SNAs, the largest number ever allocated in a single year, meaning the total number of SNAs available in our schools in September will be 23,179. This is more than double the number of SNAs that were in our schools 10 years ago.
As the Deputy knows, it is the role of the National Council for Special Education (NCCSE) to manage the allocations of SNAs across the country and to ensure that all of the additional SNAs provided for by this Government are allocated to schools to support those children with the highest level of need so they get the highest level of support.
The NCSE also now has a full complement of staffing so have the resources and supports to ensure they can do their work effectively and in a timely manner.
It is important that we continue to meet this need across our education system and as you know the Programme for Government commits to recruitment of additional SNAs to provide greater support to students and schools. We will continue to engage through the estimates process to ensure that we can meet the needs of all children in our schools.
453. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the costs incurred by her Department and bodies under its aegis from contracts awarded to communications and PR firms in 2024; the name of the contractor and a description of the work undertaken in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32637/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraCosts incurred in 2024: €3,936.00 (Inc VAT)
Name of contractor: Q4PR.
Description of works: The costs were for strategic communications advice related to the planned primary school survey (including overall approach, drafted materials and communications strategy).
454. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth to increase the primary capitation grant by €75 per pupil to ensure schools can meet elevated running costs and reduce the burden on parents. [32654/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities, except for the employment of relevant secretaries as per Circular 0036/2022.
The current standard rate of capitation grant is €200 per pupil in primary schools and €345 per student in post-primary schools.
Primary schools with fewer than 60 pupils are paid the capitation and the ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils.
As part of the capitation package in Budget 2025 the Department is pleased to have secured over €30 million as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This represents an increase of circa 12% on current standard rates and enhanced rates. This increase is on top of the circa 9.2% increase from last year’s budget. This will bring the standard rate of capitation grant to the level of €224 per pupil in primary schools and €386 per student in post-primary schools from September 2025. Enhanced rates will also be paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils. Schools should also ensure that they are availing of the available OGP procurement frameworks and getting best value for money for all school expenditure.
In addition to these grants, €45 million in cost-of-living supports issued in November 2024 to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. This additional funding announced in Budget 2025 is designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. This funding was paid at a rate of €36 per pupil in primary schools and €55 per student in post-primary schools. Enhanced rates were also paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs and Traveller pupils.
The Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU), funded by the Department, is an important source of advice and support to schools on financial matters, including budgeting and cashflow management. Contact details for FSSU can be found on www.fssu.ie.
The estimated cost of increasing capitation grant funding by €75 to all primary schools in the Free Education Scheme effective from September 2026 would be approximately 13.4 million first year cost and €40 million full year cost.
455. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth to reduce primary school class sizes to 19 pupils. [32655/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Programme for Government there is a commitment to aim to reduce the general pupil teacher ratio at primary level to 19:1 over the term of government and introduce targeted measures in schools with very large classes.
This will build on the progress which has been made by the previous Government. The general average of pupils to teachers in the Primary Staffing Schedule improved from 26:1 five years ago to 23:1 for the current school year; the lowest ever ratio at primary level. Average class sizes in primary schools have improved from 24.1 to 22.5 in that time, while the ratio of pupils to teachers has improved from 15:1 to 12.8:1, through the investment we are making in schools.
I am considering how best to make further progress as part of the annual budgetary process in reducing the primary pupil teacher ratio in the context of Programme for Government implementation.
456. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth when a new national small school’s project will be introduced. [32656/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government provides for a number of measures to support small schools, including introducing a new national small schools' project and trialing new administrative supports. The Government is very aware that small schools are an important part of the life of local communities.
The current small schools' action research project established in 2021 is due to conclude at the end of the next school year. The project has brought small schools together in local clusters, enabling them to collaborate, identify common challenges and trial innovative solutions.
It includes six clusters of small schools, two in Galway and one each in Donegal, Kerry, Wicklow and Waterford, consisting of between three and five schools per cluster. The feedback from schools has been extremely positive and this is reflected in the interim evaluation report recently published by my department.
The independent review identifies potential areas for closer collaboration and an analysis of the scalability of actions already undertaken. As the project progresses a further evaluation will take place. Learnings from this evaluation of the current project will be invaluable and form a strong basis to inform the future policy direction in relation to all small schools, including how the Programme for Government Commitment can be delivered.
457. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Youth to introduce special educational needs coordinators to support students with a disability in transitioning through all educational settings. [32657/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraEach school is provided with Special Education Teacher (SET) hours to support children who have been identified with an additional learning need via the continuum of support framework. There are over 14,700 SETs supporting mainstream classes in the 2024/25 school year, which is an increase of over 1,000 since the end of the 2021 school year. This is the highest number of SET teachers ever in our schools. For 2025/2026 this will increase again looking at the needs of our mainstream schools.
It is expected the principal will allow time, from within this allocation for the special education teacher(s) for information gathering and assessment, reviewing, monitoring and coordinating provision for children with special educational needs. This would include transition planning for the identified students. Children with special educational needs require targeted support with transitions, tailored to their needs identified in Student Support Plans.
However, as we acknowledge the growing number of children with special educational needs transitioning to post primary over the coming years, there will also be additional resources provided to every post primary school in 2025 to assist them in the effective planning and support of these children. Post primary schools require significant time for special needs coordination, planning, tracking, consultation, communication, and reporting and this time is likely to increase as more children with special educational needs transition from primary to post primary settings.
These resources to post primary schools will be in the form additional hours to schools with a full year cost of €4 million and the Department will work with our education partners as to how this will be best implemented for the next school year. This additional investment demonstrates the Department’s commitment to supporting schools and we will continue to seek to increase this support in future years.
My Department is committed to supporting effective transitions through all educational settings and there are a number of actions ongoing to support this. The Department of Education is currently finalising actions for inclusion in the National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled persons in conjunction with other government departments. These will include specific actions aimed at addressing all of the key transition points for children and young people from early years education through to their transitions to post-school options.
In addition, the Department established a pilot transitions programme in 2022 as part of its response to the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES) for disabled people . This is a pilot programme to support the transition of young people with disabilities to improve access to, and opportunities for, post-school options. The pilot is subject to an external evaluation.
