The following clarification - addressed to Principals - was received from the Department of Education and Skills today:
This is to advise you of arrangements being put in place in respect of certain substitute teachers who are involved in the Calculated Grades process. It would be appreciated if this could be actioned as appropriate in your school.
Where a substitute teacher has been responsible for the teaching of students who were to take their Leaving Certificate examination in 2020, it is expected that the substitute teacher will engage in the provision of estimated marks and rankings and in the associated alignment process in schools, as part of the Calculated Grades system. If the contract of the teacher ends before the conclusion of the estimation and alignment process in the school, the contract of the teacher may be extended solely for the purposes of completion of the duties associated with the calculated grades model. The substitute should be paid for these hours via claims being input and approved within the school against the absent teacher’s leave record on the OLCS system. The extension of contract may not extend beyond Friday, 5 June 2020, other than in exceptional circumstances. The prior permission of the Department must be sought via email at calculatedgradessupport@education.gov.ie, with the subject line ‘SUBSTITUTE TEACHER CONTRACTS’ and written evidence provided to the Department, to explain the need for any extension beyond 5 June 2020.
The Department recognises that if a permanent teacher returns from a significant period of leave (such as maternity leave, long-term sick leave, etc.) in the period between 21 May and 29 May, and the contract of the relevant substitute teacher ends in that period, the substitute teacher may be the best placed teacher to provide the estimated grade and ranking. In such circumstances, the contract of the substitute teacher may be extended as provided above, via the school’s part-time hours on OLCS, even though the permanent teacher is back at work in the school.
Curriculum and Assessment Policy Unit,
Department of Education and Skills