DEIS stands for "Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools" and is a program that was launched in Ireland in 2005 to address educational disadvantage. The program provides supports to primary and post-primary schools with high concentrations of students from socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds who are at risk of educational failure. Schools that are part of the DEIS program are categorized into different bands based on their level of disadvantage.

Benefits of DEIS status include access to the Home School Community Liaison scheme and the School Completion Programme for DEIS Primary Schools, eligibility of Primary Urban Band 1 Primary Schools to retain and appoint staff to maintain a favorable Pupil-Teacher ratio, grants towards school initiatives to address educational disadvantage, and access to planning supports and professional development supports.

DEIS schools have shown improvement in achievement levels among students, but there is still a significant difference in educational achievements between students in DEIS and non-DEIS schools. Girls attending DEIS schools continue to outperform boys in English and maths exams, with a larger difference in scores between the two groups in English. However, any improvements in test scores and attainment cannot be explained by reductions in poverty levels as the number of students who attend DEIS schools and come from families with medical cards has increased since the program began in 2007.