2021

Agreement on the Common Basic Structure of the School System

In February 2021, the "Agreement on the Common Basic Structure of the School System and the National Responsibility of the Länder in Central Questions of Education Policy" (‘Vereinbarung über die gemeinsame Grundstruktur des Schulwesens und die gesamtstaatliche Verantwortung der Länder in zentralen bildungspolitischen Fragen‘), came into force. Associated with the agreement is the establishment of a "Standing Scientific Commission of the Standing Conference" (Ständige Wissenschaftliche Kommission der Kultusministerkonferenz). In this way, the Länder strengthen their cooperation in central education policy areas in order to ensure greater comparability, transparency and reliability.

In a total of 44 articles, the agreement describes central issues of quality assurance, overarching principles of education and upbringing in the Länder, the tasks of those involved in schools, general regulations such as holiday arrangements, the structure and organisation of the school system and issues of teacher training.

The agreement between the Länder replaces the "Agreement between the Länder of the Federal Republic of Germany in the Field of School Education" (‘Abkommen zwischen den Ländern der Bundesrepublik auf dem Gebiete des Schulwesens’, the so-called Hamburger Abkommen) of 28 October 1964 as amended on 14 October 1971. This 50-year-old agreement between the Minister Presidents has been further developed by the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (Kultusministerkonferenz) over the past decades, whenever current challenges demanded it.

The administrative agreement on the establishment of a "Standing Scientific Commission of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs" (Ständige Wissenschaftliche Kommission der Kultusministerkonferenz) also came into force. Its task will be to advise the Länder on questions of the further development of the education system and on how to deal with its challenges, in particular on the assurance and development of quality, on the improvement of the comparability of the education system and on the development of medium- and longer-term strategies on educational issues relevant to the Länder as a whole. The Standing Scientific Commission takes an interdisciplinary, longer-term, systemic perspective along the educational biography. It will initially be established for a limited period of time.

Recommendations for special needs education with the special educational focus on mental development

In March 2021, the Standing Conference adopted revised recommendations for the education, guidance and support of children and young people with a special educational focus on mental development. The aim of the recommendations is to ensure that these children and young people receive appropriate individual education, counselling and support services at all places of learning and thus a chance for full participation and personal development. In this way, the Länder are given impulses for the further development of the educational offers and the further high-quality design of the framework conditions in their responsibility.

Catching up after Corona for children and young people

In order to mitigate the consequences of the Corona pandemic for children and youths as far as possible and to support them in catching up on learning arrears, the active programme "Catching up after Corona for Children and Youths" (‚Aufholen nach Corona für Kinder und Jugendliche‘) has been launched. The programme, which is funded by the Federal Government with a total of Euro 2 billion, consists of several programme pillars. Programme pillar 1 focuses on reducing learning arrears among pupils. The Federal Government will provide the Länder with a one-off sum of Euro 1 billion in 2021 and 2022 for this area, which is the responsibility of the Länder. The Länder undertake to contribute an equal amount of their own funds to the implementation of measures to reduce learning arrears. The implementation of the measures will be carried out by the Länder within the framework of existing structures. This is to ensure that the measures are tailored to the pupils' learning arrears.

2020

Measures for handling the Corona virus 

In view of the spread of the Corona virus, the Länder agreed on 13 March 2020 on joint and coordinated action. The Standing Conference bases its decisions on the recommendations of leading scientists and scientific associations such as the German Academy of Paediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, the Professional Association of Paediatricians and Adolescent Doctors, the German Society for Hygiene and Microbiology, and the Robert Koch-Institute. All measures of the Länder are taken in close coordination with the responsible health authorities and pursue the goal of slowing down the spread of the Corona virus. The weighing always takes place with other aspects of the child's well-being.

In November 2020, the Standing Conference decided to publish statistical information on the Covid 19 pandemic in schools on its website at weekly intervals. The collection and publica-tion of the Länder data is intended to create a transparent and nationwide data basis. At the same time, the Standing Conference has commissioned scientific studies on the incidence of infection in schools. After three interim reports, the final report was published in Decem-ber 2021.

Since the beginning of the school year 2021/2022, schools in all Länder have again been in regular operation, taking into account the infection protection and hygiene measures that apply depending on the type of infection. In regular resolutions, the Standing Conference advocates the continuation of attendance at schools while constantly optimising infection control and hygiene measures.

Strategy "Education in the Digital World"

In November 2020, the Standing Conference presented a supplement to its strategy “Education in the Digital World” ('Bildung in der digitalen Welt') in the form of the resolution “Teaching and Learning in the Digital World” ('Lehren und Lernen in der digitalen Welt'), which also presents the measures taken by the Länder to implement the strategy against the background of the effects of the Corona pandemic on the education system.

The supplement goes into greater depth on individual aspects of the strategy, reflects on the experiences from the phase of the pandemic and highlights the importance of teaching quality and school development in the use of new technologies. The supplementary recommendation focuses on the necessary digital school development processes and on the qualification of teachers in didactic and technical terms – with the aim of improving the quality of teaching.

In November 2020, the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany presented a "Report of the Steering Group on the Implementation of the Strategy 'Education in the Digital World'" ('Bericht der Lenkungsgruppe zur Umsetzung der Strategie "Bildung in der digitalen Welt"'), which presents the measures taken by the Länder to implement the strategy, also against the background of the effects of the Corona pandemic on the education system.

In September 2021, the Standing Conference adopted a "Recommendation on the Use of Digitised Teaching and Learning Formats to Maintain the Subject Class Principle in Vocational Schools" ('Empfehlung zum Einsatz digitalisierter Lehr- und Lernformate zur Beibehaltung des Fachklassenprinzips in der Berufsschule'). The requirements for vocational education and training formulated in the Standing Conference’s strategy “Education in the Digital World” are taken into account in this recommendation (application and use of digital devices and work techniques, personal vocational skills, self-management and self-organisation, data protection and data security, critical handling of digitally networked media and the consequences of digitisation for the world of life and work). In detail, the Standing Conference makes recommendations on didactic-curricular, organisational-administrative and legal criteria that should be taken into account when using digitalised teaching and learning formats.

Recommendations on European Education at School and Vocational Education as an Opportunity for Europe

In October 2020, the Standing Conference adopted the recommendations "European Education at School" ('Europabildung in der Schule') and "Vocational Education and Training as an Opportunity for Europe" ('Berufliche Bildung als Chance für Europa'). The recommendation "European Education at School" is a revision and update of the existing recommendation from 2008. The pupils are at the centre of the considerations. They should be enabled to shape Europe as responsible citizens. In the revised recommendation, European education is understood as a task for the entire school family. The schools receive a multitude of practical tips on materials, programmes, competitions, institutions and extracurricular partners for their lessons. The recommendation on "Vocational Education and Training as an Opportunity for Europe", which focuses on the implementation of the European idea in vocational education and training, is completely new.

Educational standards for the Allgemeine Hochschulreife in the natural sciences

In June 2020, the Standing Conference defined uniform performance requirements for the gymnasiale Oberstufe and the Abitur in the natural sciences in all 16 German Länder. To this end, binding educational standards were adopted in the natural science subjects of biology, chemistry and physics. The educational standards in the natural sciences are illustrated by learning tasks that show which tasks may be suitable for achieving the desired educational goals in science lessons in biology, chemistry and physics.

In addition, examples of possible examination tasks are to be presented in 2021 to provide ideas on how the requirements formulated in the educational standards could be tested in the Abitur examination.

The Länder have begun to implement and implement the educational standards in their education and curricula. The educational standards for the Allgemeine Hochschulreife in the natural sciences are to be implemented in the gymnasiale Oberstufe from the 2022/2023 school year onwards. In the 2024/25 school year, the Abitur examinations in biology, chemistry and physics will be conducted nationwide on the basis of the new educational standards.

Key points for further training of teachers

The longest phase in the professional qualification of teachers is the so-called third phase – the continuing education over the entire period of professional activity as a teacher. Due to the currently ever more rapidly changing framework conditions of schools (e.g. due to the re-quirements related to inclusion, heterogeneity, digitisation, work in multi-professional teams), this phase is becoming increasingly important. The Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder (Kultusministerkonferenz) has therefore adopted "Cornerstones for the further training of teachers" ('Eckpunkte zur Fortbildung von Lehrkräften'), which are common to the Länder, as an element of their professionalisation in the third phase of teacher training. In-service teacher training combines a science-based approach with a practical orientation. In terms of quality, the in-service teacher training is based on the standards for teacher training set by the Standing Conference.

For the so-called third phase of teacher training, the Länder offer a wide range of in-service teacher training programmes. An overview of the legal foundations, formats, structures and quality assurance of the continuing education programmes offered by the states can be found on the website of the Standing Conference.

In-service training is an essential part of the professional activities of teachers and is anchored in the legal framework. This means that the employer has a duty of care to provide an appropriate range of training that meets the needs of the target group and ensures adequate access. The continuous development of professional skills as well as the reflection of individual activities is the responsibility of the respective teacher. Their own further development should above all enable them to provide good teaching, to achieve the respective educational goals of pupils and to shape successful school development processes. At the same time it contributes directly to job satisfaction and indirectly to the health of teachers. Continuing education can thus be assessed as a preventive factor in maintaining employability and should therefore be considered a fixed component of personnel development at all management levels.

2019

Formal language skills

In December 2019, the Standing Conference adopted the recommendation "Strengthen formal language skills in the German language" ('Bildungssprachliche Kompetenzen in der deutschen Sprache stärken'). Formal language (Bildungssprache) differs from so-called colloquial or everyday language through a high degree of conceptual textuality and is characterized by a specific inventory of lexical, morphosyntactic and textual means. It finds expression in oral and written language use and comprises the competence areas of reading, writing (including spelling), listening and speaking. These formal language skills are individually available. They are developed and strengthened through language education and language support.

The recommendation contains common principles of language education and language promotion for school work across the Länder. It describes related measures and their implementation at school and presents the contribution of extracurricular partners and services. German language instruction plays a central role in the development of formal language skills. The joint responsibility for all subjects, learning areas and learning fields results from the respective tasks and goals of subject-specific learning.

Language education and language promotion are anchored in the educational standards of the Standing Conference, as well as in the corresponding reference frameworks on school quality and the education and curricula of the Länder. At the same time, a wide range of language education and language support programmes are already established in practice in all of the states. The Standing Conference‘s ten principles for strengthening formal language skills in the German language serve as an orientation for the work and an account of the measures taken by the Länder.

The cross-Länder efforts serve the goal of realizing equal opportunities and educational justice for all pupils and thus fulfill the general principle of equality according to Article 3, paragraph 1 of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz), which is anchored in all Education Acts of the Länder.

Language sensitive subject teaching

In addition to the Standing Conference’s recommendation "Strengthen educational language skills in the German language" (‘Bildungssprachliche Kompetenzen in der deutschen Sprache stärken’), the Standing Conference adopted the recommendation "Language-sensitive specialized instruction at vocational schools" (‘Sprachsensibler Fachunterricht an beruflichen Schulen’) in December 2019. With their offerings for career entry, initial vocational education and training and higher and continuing vocational training, vocational schools offer a coordinated and interlinked system of diverse educational options that is designed to integrate a broad range of target groups into vocational and social life. More and more adolescents and young adults with varying degrees of linguistic and communicative competence are entering the educational programmes of vocational schools. This increasing heterogeneity of the student body with or without a migration background also poses challenges for vocational schools, which the recommendation for language-sensitive specialized instruction is intended to meet.

Teacher training

In May 2019, the Standards for Teacher Training in the Educational Sciences (Standards für die Lehrerbildung: Bildungswissenschaften) were revised and updated with a view to the requirements of digitisation. Teachers should be able to use digital media professionally and didactically in a meaningful way in their respective subject lessons and reflect on the content in accordance with their educational mandate.

The content requirements for subject-related studies and subject-related didactics in teacher training which apply to all Länder (Ländergemeinsame inhaltliche Anforderungen für die Fachwissenschaften und Fachdidaktiken in der Lehrerbildung) were also updated in 2014 with regard to inclusive teaching and in 2019 with regard to digitisation. The framework agreements on the individual types of teaching careers were also revised with a view to the strategy of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs (Kultusministerkonferenz) for Education in the Digital World (Bildung in der digitalen Welt).

In 2019, the selection committee of the "Quality Initiative for Teacher Education" (‚Qualitätsoffensive Lehrerbildung‘), of the Federation and the Länder, recommended a further 43 projects for funding until the end of 2023 on the basis of an additional funding line. 26 of the selected projects are dedicated to the thematic focus "Digitization in Teacher Education" and 13 projects to the area "Teacher Education for Vocational Schools". Four projects focus primarily on the interface between these areas. This means that 91 projects involving 72 higher education institutions providing teacher training in Germany will be funded in the "Quality Initiative for Teacher Training" until the end of 2023.

DigitalPact for Schools 2019-2024

Through an amendment to Article 104c of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz - R1) in the year 2019, in Federal Government has been enabled to grant financial assistance to the Länder in future for investments that are important for the state as a whole as well as special, directly related, temporary expenditures of the Länder and municipalities (associations of municipalities) to increase efficiency of the municipal education infrastructure. The amendment to Article 104c of the Basic Law was a prerequisite for the DigitalPact for Schools 2019–2024 (DigitalPakt Schule 2019–2024), by which the Federation and the Länder aim to ensure that schools are better equipped with digital technology. The Federation pro-motes the infrastructure, while the Länder ensure the development of the content.

The educational and content foundations for the implementation of the DigitalPact for Schools were laid by the Länder with the strategy of the Standing Conference for Education in the Digital World (Bildung in der digitalen Welt), which has been in use for two years.

More detailed information on the strategy for Education in the Digital World is available in the article on teaching and learning in lower secondary education.

Joint initiative of the federal and state governments to support schools in socially difficult situations ("School makes you strong")

In October 2019, the Federation and the Länder agreed on a joint initiative to support schools in socially difficult situations. The "School makes you strong" (‘Schule macht stark‘) initiative has been launched at the beginning of 2021.

This initiative provides support to schools in socially difficult situations in both urban and rural areas in order to better meet their challenges. Children and young people with learning deficits are disproportionately represented at these schools. The objectives of the initiative of the Federation and the Länder are therefore also to improve the educational opportunities of socially disadvantaged pupils and their integration and to reduce educational barriers.

The "School makes you strong" initiative is divided into two phases. In the first five-year phase, researchers will work with 200 schools nationwide to develop and test strategies and concepts for school and classroom development and for networking schools in their social environment. In addition, the schools will exchange information and network with each other. The second phase, which will also last five years, will serve to transfer the instruments that have proven to be particularly suitable in practice to other schools.

The initiative will run for ten years. The Federation and the Länder are providing equal amounts of a total of Euro 125 million for "School makes you strong".