|
Number of compulsory school aged pupils (including those with SENs) |
Public Sector |
Private Sector |
Total |
Year of reference |
Notes and Source |
| * |
* |
809,877 |
2004 / 2005 |
Source: Ministry of Education.
* The differentiation between public and private sector is not available at the moment because of changes in the data collection system in Austria.
Detailed statistical information for Austria is available from: http://www.bmbwk.gv.at/medienpool/13058/stat_tb_2005.pdf |
|
Number of compulsory school aged pupils who have SENs (in all educational settings) |
Public Sector |
Private Sector |
Total |
Year of reference |
Notes and Source |
| 28,262 |
716 |
28,978 |
2004 / 2005 |
Source: Ministry of Education.
Students with SEN in academic secondary schools and vocational schools are not included in these figures.
|
| Pupils with SENs in segregated settings |
Public Sector |
Private Sector |
Total |
Year of reference |
Notes and Source |
| 12,763 |
538 |
13,301 |
2004 / 2005 |
Source: Ministry of Education.
These figures relate to students in special schools. |
| Pupils with SENs in inclusive settings |
Public Sector |
Private Sector |
Total |
Year of reference |
Notes and Source |
| 15,499 |
178 |
15,677 |
2004 / 2005 |
Source: Ministry of Education.
These figures are for pupils with SEN in primary, secondary and pre-vocational schools up to the ninth compulsory school year. Pupils with SEN in secondary academic schools and vocational schools are not included. |
| Compulsory age phase |
9 Years of compulsory education (6-15). |
| Clarification of Public - Private sector education |
Public schools are either financed:
- completely by the federal state (teacher salaries, maintenance of school buildings ) in terms of academic secondary schools, higher vocational schools, teacher training colleges etc.
- or financed by the federal state (teacher salaries) and the communities (school maintenance) in terms of compulsory schools (primary, lower secondary, special or pre-vocational schools);
- or by the federal state (teacher salaries) and a federal province (school maintenance) e.g. vocational schools.
Private schools - The majority of private schools are (officially recognised) denominational schools and they are maintained by the respective church. The federal state is obliged to finance teacher salaries.
Private associations who are in favour of a special pedagogy ("reform pedagogy" like "Waldorf" etc.) and who develop a particular curriculum that is not in line with the national curriculum are totally financed by their stake holders. In case they fulfil certain given criteria they might as well get financial support by the state authorities.
If private schools follow the national curriculum they may be given the mandate by the Ministry of Education to provide legal state certification (private schools with "public law status"). |
| Legal Definition of SEN |
A child is recognised as having special educational needs if - as a result of a physical or psychologically based disability - he/she is not able to achieve the goals of the national curriculum without receiving special provision. (§ 8, Compulsory Schooling Act Schulpflichtgesetz).
The assessment procedure is carried out by the school district board upon the application of the parents, the head teacher of the school or by the board itself with reference to expert opinions.
SEN provision is available for two "categories" of students.
Category 1: Pupils with officially labelled special educational needs (pupils with physical and/or psychological disabilities) may either attend a special or a mainstream school with additional support (based on parental choice).
Category 2: Pupils with special educational needs, but without certification (such as speech impediments, behaviour problems, visual or hearing impairments) are offered "outpatient" provision by the Special Mobile Service in or outside classrooms.
The education of pupils with special educational needs is embedded in the general legislative framework for education such as:
The 1962 School Organisation Act (Schulorganisationsgesetz) is the foundation on which the current school organisation (including education of SEN students in special schools (Sonderschulen) or mainstream settings) rests. The 'School Education Act' (Schulunterrichtsgesetz) is the legal framework for all issues concerning education within schools (e.g. assessment, enrolment of students, transition procedures within different types of schools etc.)
Special Needs Education in Austria: important milestones are the 15th Amendment to the 'School Organisation Act' of 1993, the 17th Amendment of 1996 and the associated amendments of the 'Compulsory Schooling Act' (Schulpflichtgesetz), the School Education Act and of the ‘Basic Act on the Maintenance of Compulsory Schools’ (Pflichtschulerhaltungs-Grundsatzgesetz). These amendments have re-oriented the educational system by providing new organisational and integrative forms of special pedagogical assistance for pupils with special educational needs in general compulsory schools (allgemein bildende Pflichtschulen). |
