New Investigation suggests less money to the free schools

The financing of the free schools has been questioned ever since the free school reform was implemented 30 years ago.

The previous government tried to reduce the amount to the free schools on the grounds that they get too much money in relation to their limited assignment. But the opposition (L, C, M and KD) hooked arm and voted down the proposal.

Shortly thereafter, the OAG found in a review that The free schools get too much money In relation to its assignment and that the distribution beats unfairly against pupils in the municipal schools.

Now the government wants to take a new hold And on Thursday afternoon, School Minister Lotta Edholm (L) receives an investigation that proposes a whole new model for financing the free schools.

● First and foremost, the investigation proposes to introduce a minimum level for how much money the municipalities must invest in preschool class and elementary school across the country.

The level should not be binding but « guidance », writes investigator Lena Holmdahl, Director of Education in Stockholm, at Svenska Dagbladets Debate page.

« It would be a major intervention in municipal self -government, while forcing major changes for the school principals without necessarily providing increased quality, » she says.

● Furthermore, the investigation proposes that the municipalities be allowed to deduct six percent when calculating the compensation to the free schools.

Today, the free schools receive the same compensation per student as the municipal schools, which is considered unfair because they do not have the same responsibility, for example, they do not have to have a readiness to always receive new students, such as newly moved, asylum seekers or students who may have dropped from a free school. A free school can also close at any time without having to take responsibility for if their students need a school place.

● The municipalities should also not be obliged to, as today In retrospect, replace free schools for costs which only arisen for the municipal schools for a financial year.

● They should also be able to make investments for special purposes, for example in resource schools or school libraries, without having to give the same money to free schools that do not make corresponding investments.

The Social Democrats’ school political spokesperson Åsa Westlund thinks it is good that the government is taking steps towards stopping the « overcompensation » to the free schools. But believes that the proposal for a « guiding » low level is not enough.

« Since the government is against both profit ban and binding rules for staffing, it will mean that profit hunting and tax cuts will continue to lead to cuts on teachers and teaching, » she writes in an email to DN.

Sweden’s teachers also believe that parts of the proposals are steps in the right direction. This can lead to a fairer distribution if the municipalities are allowed to make a deduction for their expanded responsibility, says the chairman of the union Anna Olskog.

« However, it is reasonable to discuss whether the deduction should not be higher than six percent, » she writes in a text message to DN.

Sweden’s teachers also believe that the school money norm should be binding and not guiding, as the investigation suggests.

« As it is now, it risks not getting sufficient strength to really achieve the change required to increase the school’s equality, » writes Anna Olskog.

Åsa Westlund is not unexpected Critical that the time parties voted down the Social Democrats’ proposal to reduce compensation to the free schools before the election. It has cost Swedish school many billions, she says.

« These proposals are not enough to deal with the problems that the profit hunt in the school leads to, » writes Åsa Westlund.

Sweden’s teachers have also for a long time stated that the current system has benefited the free schools at the expense of the students in the municipal schools.