MoU between the CSO and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth in relation to the Teaching & Learning International Survey

In April 2023, Memorandum Of Understanding between the CSO and DCEDIY on TALIS (PDF 4,413KB)   was signed between the Central Statistics Office (CSO) and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY). The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Mr. Pádraig Dalton, Director-General of the CSO, and Mr. Kevin McCarthy, Secretary General of DCEDIY.

The purpose of this MoU is to clarify the roles and responsibilities of, as well as the areas of cooperation between, CSO and DCEDIY with regard to the operation of TALIS Starting Strong in Ireland.  This MoU constitutes an arrangement between the CSO and DCEDIY under Section 11(1) of the Statistics Act 1993 for the conduct of the TALIS Starting Strong survey in 2024.  This MoU also sets out a shared understanding of the parties in relation to data protection issues that may arise and roles relating to the compilation, transfer and use of this data.  The processing of personal data of data subjects is governed by the Statistics Act, 1993 and the Data Protection Acts 1988-2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation. 

Talis is an OECD survey of teaching staff and managers in school settings.  It has taken place 5-yearly since 2008 and is now moving to a 6-year cycle to align with the OECD’s PISA.  It is managed for the OECD by an international consortium co-ordinated by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA).  TALIS consists of a number of modules:

• ISCED Level 2 core survey;
• ISCED Level 1 and ISCED Level 3 optional modules;
• TALIS Starting Strong Survey optional modules for ISCED Level 2 and ISCED Level 1, and;
• the Teacher Knowledge Survey optional module.

 In 2024, Ireland will participate in selected TALIS modules for the first time, specifically in the Starting Strong Survey which focuses on Early Learning and Care (ELC) settings.  TALIS Starting Strong involves surveying staff and leaders in ELC settings on their qualifications, training and professional practice.  A field trial will take place in Q1 2023 with the full field operation scheduled for Q1 2024.

The CSO will act as a National Project Office (NPO) and appoint a National Project Manager (NPM) for TALIS Starting Strong.

DCEDIY will act as the sponsoring Department for for TALIS Starting Strong.