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Dyscalculia/ Significant Numeracy Difficulties

NOTE: DARE has replaced its SpLD category. We have now created two new expanded categories in its place:
• Dyslexia / Significant Literacy Difficulties, and;
• Dyscalculia / Significant Numeracy Difficulties (detailed below)

Appropriate Professional Appropriately qualified Psychologist
  A full Psychological Assessment Report, as described in the DARE 2025 Acceptable Reports, Acceptable Tests and Checklist for applicants with Dyscalculia (click here to view and download)
All tests used must be current, valid, reliable, and age appropriate. Performance should be reported as standard scores and percentile points; age equivalent scores are not acceptable. Score ranges and descriptive ranges alone are not sufficient. Where these are reported alone, the candidate may be made ineligible.
Psychologists should consult the DARE 2025 Acceptable Reports, Acceptable Tests and Checklist for applicants with Dyscalculia.
In all cases, professionals should reference internationally accepted diagnostic criteria and appropriate assessment. Failure to reference the above may result in the applicant not being eligible for DARE.
Required Age of Report There is no age limit on diagnostic evidence submitted.
Other Disabilities Submit an Evidence of Disability Form for each disability/ condition to be considered.
Educational Impact Statement (EIS) The Educational Impact Statement allows you and your school to provide detail of how your disability has impacted on your second level experience. The EIS is a requirement for all applicants.
DARE Eligibility

In addition to a Psychological Assessment Report of any age completed by a psychologist which clearly states a diagnosis of dyscalculia, applicants MUST also have one numeracy attainment score at or below the 10th percentile (Standard Score of 81 or below).
The score of the attainment testing may be presented in one of the following three ways:

1. Schools: The attainment score can be entered into Indicator 6 by the school using attainment scores from school-based testing carried out on or after 1 February 2023.

2. Psychologist: Where the attainment scores are from tests carried out by a suitably qualified psychologist, one of the following must be submitted: A full Psychological Assessment Report which contains relevant attainment scores from testing carried out on or after 1 February 2023.

OR

3. A fully completed DARE 2025 Attainment Summary Sheet or an equivalent summary report from a Psychologist.

Combination: Where a combination of scores from psychologist and school-based testing is being reported, all scores can be entered into Indicator 6 by the school but this must be accompanied by one of the documents listed in point 2 above.

In all cases, testing must have been carried out on or after 1 February 2023 and all applicants must submit an Educational Impact Statement completed by their school. The applicant may be eligible once satisfactory documents have been submitted to DARE, which confirm:

Educational Impact Indicator 6: Attainment at or below the 10th percentile/SS 81 in one numeracy area from:

Mathematical reasoning and problem solving
Mathematical computation
Mathematical fluency
AND

one other indicator from educational impact indicators 1 to 5 to meet the DARE educational impact criteria.

For more information, contact the Access Office in one of the participating colleges

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