Agency eBulletin November 2021

This eBulletin brings details of new Agency publications presenting the key principles required for successful inclusive education systems and a self-reflection tool for inclusive school leadership. A new set of data on education systems in participating Agency member countries is also now available, as part of the European Agency Statistics on Inclusive Education (EASIE) work.

There are updates on the Agency’s new work programme for 2021–2027, work to develop a reflection tool for teacher professional learning, and the Changing Role of Specialist Provision project.

This issue also includes information on the final meeting in the Agency’s collaboration with the Polish Ministry of Education and Science and the European Commission’s DG REFORM.

Supporting Inclusive School Leadership – Self-Reflection Tool

A new self-reflection tool is now available on the Agency website, published as part of the Supporting Inclusive School Leadership (SISL) project.

The SISL project investigates ways to develop and promote inclusive school-level leadership through national and local-level policy frameworks and support mechanisms. Following on from a SISL policy framework developed earlier this year, the Self Reflection Tool aims to stimulate professional dialogue and collaborative policy development within and across schools and at different policy levels. 

Learn more about the tool and the SISL project on the news pages.

European Agency statistics for 2018/2019 school year launched

The European Agency Statistics on Inclusive Education (EASIE) data tables and country background information for the 2018/2019 school year are now available on the Agency’s data web area. 

EASIE provides individual country data on education systems in participating Agency member countries. This data informs country-level work on learners’ rights issues connected to equity and participation in inclusive education. Data is presented in two tables: Data Table 1 provides data on all children/learners and where they are educated; Data Table 2 provides data relating to where children/learners with an official decision of special educational needs are educated. The data tables are accompanied by descriptive, qualitative country background information to give a clear context to the quantitative data provided.

Alongside the data tables, the website now includes a new feature which allows users to view and download automatically-generated individual country reports. A new guide to the data tables and country background information is also now available on the Outputs page of the EASIE web area. The guide provides information on the working definitions used, the data collected, and how the data is used to automatically calculate the indicators in the individual country reports.

Read more in the EASIE 2018/2019 news item.

Agency Work Programme for 2021–2027 approved at
bi-annual meeting

A new Multi-Annual Work Programme (MAWP) for 2021–2027 was approved at the Agency’s latest bi-annual meeting of country representatives.

Aligned with the Agency’s position on inclusive education systems, the MAWP presents the Agency’s long-term priorities over the next seven years. It describes new and on-going activities that will be implemented to meet Agency member countries’ needs while directly supporting European Union level policy goals and initiatives.

Read more about the MAWP and the bi-annual meeting in the news item.

Developing a tool to reflect on teacher professional learning for inclusion

Phase 2 of the Agency’s Teacher Professional Learning for Inclusion (TPL4I) project, which will revise and update the Agency’s Profile of Inclusive Teachers (2012) for use in different education system levels, is well underway. A series of workshops and focus group meetings are taking place online throughout autumn 2021. The workshops and meetings aim to explore the results of a survey conducted earlier this year and develop guidelines for using the updated Profile.

Find out more about the TPL4I project's progress on the website.

Changing the role of specialist provision – thematic workshops

A second round of thematic workshops took place in October as part of the Agency’s Changing Role of Specialist Provision in Supporting Inclusive Education (CROSP) project.

Workshop participants discussed how to translate six guiding principles into policy priorities and strategies, and then into actions. They explored successes and challenges in their countries and looked at future developments. The CROSP team is currently analysing the outcomes of these discussions to assist in the tool’s development. Find out more in the news item.

Representatives from the CROSP project team also took part in recent seminar on the transformation of the Austrian inclusive education system. They examined how specialist provision can support inclusive education and discussed implementation strategies around Europe.

Read more about the seminar in Austria on the Agency website.

Supporting the improvement of the quality of inclusive education in Poland

A meeting took place in July to summarise the results of the ‘Supporting the improvement of the quality of inclusive education in Poland’ project. The project was implemented by the Polish Ministry of Education and Science in co-operation with the Agency and the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Structural Reform Support (DG REFORM) under the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP).

The project has helped to create a clear policy vision for high quality inclusive education in Poland, which is being championed by key decision-makers. This policy vision and leadership are critical to the future of inclusive education.

Find out more about the project and the summary meeting.