The revised grading scheme for Leaving Cert exams has widened the achievement gap between disadvantaged and other schools.
That's according to new research from the ESRI.
The grading changes, introduced in June 2017, were designed to help to reduce pressure on students at exam time.
The research shows that overall, more students are taking higher-level subjects - especially Irish, English and maths.
But this increase in higher level subjects has led to a weakening of the overall grade profile for higher level exams.
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This is most notable in the cases of maths and Irish, where the increase in the number of students taking these subjects at higher level has seen an increase in the number of students getting lower grades.
There is also a relatively lower take-up of higher level subjects in smaller schools and in disadvantaged schools that form part of the DEIS programme.
It found DEIS schools did not record the same increases in higher-level take up, widening the gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools.
While small schools faced constraints around class sizes and their ability to offer subjects at different levels to their students.
Selina McCoy, associate research professor at the ESRI, added: "The research points to challenges for students in making subject level decisions - with the incentives such that they feel pressure to stay with higher level, even though they may feel ill-equipped.
"As a consequence, time on other subjects is displaced and additional stress is created for students."
