2.1 Organisation and control of system/structure
2.1.1 Control
2.1.2 Funding
2.1.3 Private sector education
2.1.4 SPECIAL PUBLICLY-FUNDED PROVISION WITHIN OR OUTSIDE MAINSTREAM EDUCATION
This information is intended to provide the background context of structure and control, within which the curriculum and assessment frameworks are implemented.
See section 2.1.1 of the mainstream Spain Archive.
See section 2.1.2 of the mainstream Spain Archive.
See section 2.1.3 of the mainstream Spain Archive.
Type of provision
Mainstream provision
Special educational needs may be met either in special or in ordinary, mainstream educational establishments. The general expectation is that students with special needs are enrolled in ordinary mainstream schools and programmes, which may then be 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 be integrated in ordinary 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 a mainstream school would be negligible. In 1997/98, fewer than 0.4 per cent of all primary and secondary students attended separate special schools.12
Size of provision
In the 1995/96 academic year, there were just over 93,000 students with special educational needs enrolled in all phases of publicly-funded mainstream provision in Spain; the majority of these (more than 70 per cent), were described as being 'mentally handicapped'. In the same year, just over 20,000 students were enrolled in both publicly- and privately-funded special schools (only around 600 of these were in private provision). The total number of children in education was just over six million. On the basis of such figures, it appears that in the 1995-96 academic year, around 1.7 per cent of all students in pre-compulsory, primary, lower and upper secondary education in Spain were identified as having special educational needs. The majority of these (around 1.4 per cent of all students) were educated in mainstream schools, with the remaining 0.3 per cent being in segregated settings.16
In 2004, the percentage of children of compulsory school age in special schools was 0.38 per cent. 33
Numbers of children in specific special education establishments and in mainstream establishments with classrooms for special education. Academic years 2001/02 and 2002/03. 32
| Establishments | 2002/03 | 2001/02 |
| Total | 27475 | 27090 |
| Public establishments | 13681 | 13230 |
| Private establishments | 13794 | 13860 |
Numbers of public and private establishments providing special education (both specific and mainstream with substitute units). Academic year 2003/04. Provisional data 32
| Total number | 968 |
| Public | 608 |
| Private | 360 |
Numbers of public and private specific special education establishments. Academic year 2004/05. 32
| Total number | 488 |
| Public | 192 |
| Subsidised and private | 296 |
Control/funding
As is the case for the education system in Spain in general, special education, provided in mainstream schools or in special schools or special education units, is ultimately controlled by the education authorities (the central Ministry of Education and the 17 Autonomous Communities). See section 2.1.1 of the mainstream Spain Archive.
The situation with regard to funding is similar. See section 2.1.2 of the mainstream Spain Archive.12 In other words, some special schools or special education units are entirely funded by the education authorities (publicly-funded); others, so-called 'concerted special schools' are private schools which receive funding from the education authorities; others may be entirely private.16
Teachers' Centres have been created to develop and support educational initiatives and a National Resource Centre for Special Education has been established to offer information, consultation and documentation for those involved in the provision of special education.12