INCA Education around the world
Spain : Education Structure (ages 3-19)
3.2.5 SPECIAL PUBLICLY-FUNDED PROVISION WITHIN OR OUTSIDE MAINSTREAM EDUCATION
3.2.5.1 CRITERIA FOR ACCESS TO PROVISION
3.2.5.2 LENGTH OF SCHOOL YEAR (IN DAYS) AND DAY (IN HOURS)
3.2 Educational phases (ages 3-19)
For details of the organisation of 'standard' provision in mainstream schools, see sections
3.2.1, 3.2.1.1, 3.2.1.2 (pre-compulsory level education)
3.2.2, 3.2.2.1, 3.2.2.2 (compulsory primary level education)
3.2.3, 3.2.3.1, 3.2.3.2 (compulsory lower secondary education)
3.2.4, 3.2.4.1, 3.2.4.2 (post-compulsory upper secondary education)
of the mainstream Spain Archive.
3.2.5 SPECIAL PUBLICLY-FUNDED PROVISION WITHIN OR OUTSIDE MAINSTREAM EDUCATION
THAT IS, PROVISION FOR STUDENTS WITH PARTICULAR NEEDS SUCH AS THOSE WITH DISABILITIES, LEARNING DIFFICULTIES, HIGH ABILITY, BEHAVIOURAL DIFFICULTIES, OR THOSE FROM PARTICULAR ETHNIC GROUPS OR TRAVELLER COMMUNITIES
Student need catered for
Special education in Spain, whether in mainstream provision or in special schools, caters for students with sensory or motor handicaps, intellectual handicaps, behavioural difficulties, and gifted students.12
Mainstream provision
Special educational needs may be met either in special or in ordinary, mainstream establishments. The general expectation is that students with special needs are enrolled in ordinary mainstream schools and programmes, which are adapted to suit individual student capabilities. Consequently, in ordinary mainstream primary and secondary establishments, these students are enrolled as part of the mainstream student body.12
Special schools
Special schools are intended for students who cannot readily be integrated in mainstream primary, secondary or vocational training schools. However, students are only enrolled in separate special education units or schools where there is sound reason to believe that their needs cannot be suitably met in a mainstream establishment. Such reasons would usually be that the student's needs call for such significant adaptations of the official curriculum that possibilities for adaptation and social integration in an ordinary school would be negligible, or that students need to be educated in a special school associated with a certain type of disability.12
The structure and administration of special schools is similar to that of mainstream schools, modified only as required to accommodate students with certain kinds of special educational needs. 12
It is intended that special education schools or centres should progressively become open educational resource centres for all professionals involved in special education (either in mainstream schools or in special provision).12
Some special schools are boarding schools to accommodate those students who do not live close enough to travel daily. Most are publicly-funded, although there are some private special schools which receive no government funding. Under certain circumstances - in some rural areas for instance - special classrooms may be set up in mainstream schools.16
Age range catered for
The minimum period of education for students with special educational needs is ten years, and the upper age limit for enrolment in special schools is 20.12
3.2.5.1 CRITERIA FOR ACCESS TO PROVISION
General
National legislation (the LOGSE)4 stipulates that special educational needs must be provided for from the time they are detected, no matter what the age of the student. The necessary educational services must then be available to stimulate and foster the development of such students and the competent education authorities must guarantee their schooling/education.12
The legislation also stipulates that children with (permanent or temporary) special educational needs should be educated in as normal a context as possible, although the most seriously affected students may be enrolled in special education establishments, see 3.2.5 also.12
Where students are enrolled in separate special education units or schools (see 3.2.5), their progress is reviewed periodically with a view to possible future integration in mainstream education.12
Proposals and decisions regarding the enrolment of students with special needs, as well as the identification of those requiring additional support during the educational process, are incumbent upon the education authorities. Qualified special educational needs professionals draw up individual action plans (ACIs) on the basis of a student's individual special need, and taking note of the student's character and family or school background.12 ACIs should include a study programme and a description of the individual support required. The 1990 Law on the General System of Education (the LOGSE) encourages the participation of parents and tutors in any decisions concerning the schooling of students with special educational needs.25
Pre-compulsory education
Exceptionally, students of pre-compulsory age who are identified as having severe special educational needs which may be best met by education in a special school can be enrolled in special education establishments providing compulsory education (usually for children aged 6+).12 Especially gifted pre-compulsory age children may also start compulsory school early. See 1.2.1.
Primary and lower secondary phase education
The admission of students and arrangements for the enrolment of students with special needs in mainstream primary schools or in special schools catering for students at primary level must follow the general regulations, as specified by law. See section 3.2.2.1 of the mainstream Spain Archive.12
Mainstream schools catering for students with special needs must be suitably equipped for the admission of students with special educational needs. That is, they must have sufficient human and material resources to guarantee quality educational care as defined by the responsible authorities. This includes a restriction on the number of students with such needs to two per classroom; the enforcement of a student:teacher ratio of 25:1 in classes with such students; and the admission of an overall maximum of 18 students with special educational needs to a school when the number of teaching groups or classes in the school is less than or equal to nine (three pre-compulsory/infant classes and six primary classes).12
Regardless of the number of classes/teaching units in a school, a maximum of 25 students with special educational needs may be admitted, with the exception of schools enrolling only students with special needs associated with hearing deficiencies. Furthermore, students with very different kinds of special needs, which may require very different kinds of responses, may not be enrolled in the same class.12
In compulsory education (for students aged 6-16), parents or guardians may choose the school in which to enrol their child(ren) with special needs from among those that have the adequate human and material resources to guarantee that they will receive quality educational attention.12
With regard to transfer from compulsory primary to compulsory lower secondary education for students with special needs, the Ministry of Education makes sufficient provision to ensure that students with special needs enrolled in ordinary, mainstream primary schools are able to continue their schooling in ordinary, mainstream compulsory secondary education.12
Post-compulsory/upper secondary education
Access to the various forms of upper secondary education depends on student performance during the compulsory phase, and on student and parent choice. See 6.5.1 for further details.12
Occasionally, students who are aged 16 or over before they complete the first cycle of compulsory secondary education (usually for students aged 12-14) and whose academic performance indicates that, even if they did enrol in the second cycle (usually for students aged 14-16) they would not obtain the certificate of compulsory education (Graduado en Educación Secundaria) (the compulsory secondary school leaving certificate, usually awarded at age 16), may be allowed direct access to the three vocational training programmes described in section 6.5.1.12
Where students with special educational needs who have earned their Graduado en Educación Secundaria certificate take courses of post-compulsory education, the establishments in which they enrol must have adequate human and material resources to enable students with special needs to pursue their education effectively.12
3.2.5.2 LENGTH OF SCHOOL YEAR (IN DAYS) AND DAY (IN HOURS)
The structure and administration of special schools is similar to that of ordinary mainstream schools, modified only as required to accommodate students with certain kinds of special educational needs. Special schools also abide by the general standards regarding the school schedule, holidays etc. For further information, see the mainstream Spain Archive, sections 3.2.1.2, 3.2.2.2, 3.2.3.2 and 3.2.4.2.) 12
