Government Wants to Adjust Controversial German Support Classes

Alternatively, school-autonomous models for learning German within the class group should be possible. Changes are also planned for the much-criticized MIKA-D language test and the rules for repeating classes.

The separate German support classes and groups for the more than 48,000 "extraordinary" students were introduced in 2018/19 by the black-blue coalition. Since then, school beginners and lateral entrants from abroad, who according to the MIKA-D allocation test have problems with the language of instruction, must be supported in German for up to two years, with a maximum of 20 hours per week in their own classes or groups. They only spend subjects like crafts, music, or physical education with their regular class.

German Support: Criticism of the Previous Model

Since its introduction, there has been repeated criticism of the model from practice and science, and an evaluation report commissioned by the then ÖVP-led Ministry of Education also showed a need for improvement. The consensus: The obligation to teach in separate classes with eight students at the location leads to exclusion, does not improve learning German, and is pedagogically nonsensical in schools with many non-German-speaking children; the MIKA-D test is laborious for schools, asks the wrong competencies, and the existing rules for advancing to the next class lead to significantly more repeaters.

As announced in the government program, schools are to receive more autonomy from next autumn on whether to rely on separate German support classes and courses or to implement an autonomous support concept tailored to the needs of the location. The resources remain the same regardless of the model. In both cases, there will also be a criteria catalog for quality assurance, and a scientific accompanying evaluation is planned.

Without the German language, education is not possible, which is why the government has already expanded the resources for German support to 1,300 positions. With more autonomy, better results at individual locations are expected from the 2026/27 school year, emphasized Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr (NEOS) in the foyer after the Council of Ministers. A uniform rule for all schools simply does not work, as past experiences have shown.

More Autonomy Should Bring Better Results

The goal is to reduce the number of extraordinary students, with the vision that "all children in Austria can speak German and follow the lessons." In the current school year, after many years of rising numbers, there is finally a trend reversal in all federal states, Wiederkehr reported. Compared to the previous year, the numbers have decreased by 4.2 percent to 46,385, with the minister admitting upon request that part of the decline is certainly due to the halt in family reunification.

To reduce the administrative burden around German language support, starting next fall, there will be only one mandatory MIKA-D test at the end of the summer semester instead of two. However, if there is significant progress, an additional test will still be possible, which, with good results, allows a transition to the German support group or the regular class. The test itself is also expected to become more accurate, with a further developed version of the MIKA-D test to be used from next fall, including additional questions for the 3rd and 4th grades of elementary school and middle school.

Advancement Despite German Language Issues

The government also wants to implement a measure against the internationally high percentage of "overaged" students in Austria, which stands at nine percent, to prevent career losses and school dropouts. Specifically, the advancement clause should also be possible for students who have "insufficient" German language skills according to MIKA-D.

Currently, only students without a need for German language support can advance to the next grade level with a failing grade if the school conference believes that due to good results in other subjects, they will be able to follow the lessons well in the next higher class. This should also apply when transitioning from elementary school to secondary level 1 (middle school, lower level of AHS). Additionally, extraordinary students should be able to receive grades in subjects that are not related to German language support in the future.

"This prevents career losses, demotivation of children, and the problem of having children who are too old in the class," emphasized SPÖ State Secretary Michaela Schmidt (SPÖ). Integration Minister Claudia Plakolm (ÖVP) spoke of a measure that prevents "children from becoming overaged and ending up in a dead end."

In addition to changes in support measures at school, Wiederkehr is also relying on measures such as the summer school, for which the legal foundations are currently being developed, and kindergarten to improve German language skills. Here, in the mandatory kindergarten year, attendance is to be expanded from 20 to 30 hours per week. The goal remains to introduce a second mandatory kindergarten year from 2027, when the current 15a agreement with the states expires.

(APA/Red)

This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here.