Ministry of Education and Research
Parliament (Riksdag) and the Government have overall responsibility for education in Sweden through the Ministry of Education and Research. The Ministry covers two policy areas - education policy and research policy - through two Ministers: the Minister for Education and the Minister for Higher Education and Research.
The Ministry of Education and Research is responsible for issues concerning childcare, preschool classes, compulsory and equivalent types of school, independent schools, school-age childcare, upper secondary school, local authority adult education, advanced vocational education, supplementary educational programmes, popular adult education, the university and higher education system, research, financial support for students, and student welfare issues. Source: http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2063.
The National Agency for Education (Skolverket) and the National Agency for School Improvement
Skolverket, the National Agency for Education, and the National Agency for School Improvement (Skolutvecklingsmyndigheten) are independent agencies, which are funded by the Ministry of Education and Research, but separate from it. Both are assigned tasks by the Ministry. Skolverket is responsible for the inspection, evaluation and monitoring of the public school system in Sweden; it has responsibility for systematically examining whether schools are achieving the national goals and objectives, and for ensuring via regular nationwide inspections that national guidelines are followed. Skolverket is also responsible for developing and updating steering/ guidance documents, such as syllabuses and grade criteria. 80 82
The main task of the National Agency for School Improvement (Skolutvecklingsmyndigheten) is to ensure standards in schools throughout the country. The Agency supports and encourages municipalities and schools in their work towards achieving national goals. Through the Agency, the state government aims to support work on improvement and development in certain national priority areas. The current focus is on measures to improve education for children and teenagers in environments characterised by social and ethnic diversity. 80
Municipalities
Although curricula, national objectives and guidelines for public sector schooling in Sweden are defined by Parliament and the Ministry of Education and Science, subject to this framework, each of the 289 municipalities is free to decide how its schools are run. That is, each municipality has responsibility for school organisation, staffing and resources. A skolplan (municipal education plan) has to be adopted (by each municipality/local authority [kommunerna]), describing how school activities are to be funded, organised, developed and evaluated.41,30
The headteacher of each school, in consultation with teachers and other staff, must also draw up an arbetsplan (a local work plan or school working plan), based on the national objectives and curricula and the skolplan (municipal education plan).41
In 1991 the division of responsibility for schools between the State and municipalities changed with the result that the municipalities were given full operating responsibility for running schools.56 The State defines the overarching goals and guidelines for school activities, and the municipalities are responsible for putting these into effect. The municipalities acquired full responsibility for organising and implementing school activities in 1991, when State regulation of teaching appointments and headships was abolished.54
Parliament and the Government have overall responsibility for ensuring that there is equivalent education throughout the country. The activities of the school are steered by means of national goals. The fundamental goals are set out in the Education Act9 and various ordinances. Other goals and general guidelines are laid down in the curricula and syllabuses. The State has overall responsibility for the development of quality in the school. This responsibility also involves assessing whether quality is equivalent between municipalities and schools.56
The municipalities have a vital role to play in the decentralised system in Sweden in terms of how school policy is put into practice. The municipalities, who decide on how the school is to be organised and how resources shall be allocated, are responsible for implementing school activities within the framework that Parliament and the Government have laid down. The municipalities are also responsible for following up and evaluating school activities.56
However, although the municipalities are generally responsible for schools, Sami (Lapp) schools and special schools (for children with impaired hearing/vision and/or physical disabilities, for example) come under national mandatorship.54
Since 1997, municipalities have also been required to provide an annual, written progress report to Parliament. 82
In general, the federal budget provides municipalities with a sum of money to carry out various municipal activities, among them schooling. 82
Pre-school
Most pre-compulsory education and childcare facilities are run by municipalities, which are entitled to charge fees. That is, provision is jointly financed by the municipalities and by parental fees. The fees charged must not be higher than the actual costs incurred by the municipality, nor must they be so high that parents would forgo a place which would be of value to their child. Only pre-school education for 6-year-olds attending pre-school classes which do not exceed 15 hours per week, or 525 hours per year, is free of charge to parents.36,36
Compulsory phase school (grundskola, 7-16) and upper secondary (gymnasieskola, 16+)
Tuition in state schools is free of charge. The student's home municipality must pay for schooling even if s/he chooses to attend a public sector school in another municipality or a government-approved independent school.22
State subsidies to municipalities take the form of a general equalisation grant which supplements municipal tax revenues and aims to equalise differences between municipalities. 82
State funding is not directly linked to school organisation; municipalities are free to use the grant for the educational services or activities they choose.14,41 However, since 1996/97, the State has successively increased the proportion of earmarked state grants for different purposes, such as grants restricted to/reserved for recruiting more teachers. 82
All students aged between 16 and 20 years of age who are pursuing upper secondary studies in an upper secondary school receive study assistance. This also applies to students attending independent schools (see 2.1.3). Study assistance at upper secondary level comprises a general study grant representing a continuation of child allowance, which is payable to all students from the age of 16, and a needs-tested grant towards the cost of studies and daily travel.55
Independent schools are growing in number in Sweden and are open to all. Each child is allocated an education, from pre-school up to and including upper secondary (high) school; in this way the Government supports the establishment of independent schools. Independent schools must be approved by Skolverket (the National Agency for Education) and follow the national curricula and syllabuses. Education provided in independent schools must, in nature and level, essentially correspond to the knowledge and skills that municipal schools provide and also work towards the general goals of compulsory education.22
Government-approved independent schools, which are approved and monitored by the Skolverket, receive a grant from the home municipality of each registered student. 22
Independent schools are entitled to charge reasonable fees, in addition to the municipal grants they receive from government. Although teaching in independent schools shares the same goals as that in municipal schools, independent schools can have a distinct profile. Teaching can, for example, be based on a religious creed or on special educational principles, such as the Montessori or Waldorf methods. If an independent school does not comply with the Education Act, the Skolverket can withdraw its approval. It can also withdraw the school's public grant if the fees charged are considered excessive.47
Upper secondary
There are two types of independent schools - the independent gymnasieskola and the supplementary school (kompletterande skola):