Local costs of implementing inclusion

Project outline

The implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in the school sector represents a major challenge for education policy in Germany. The public discussion on how the joint teaching of students with and without special educational needs can succeed in schools mostly focuses on the development of corresponding pedagogical concepts, the necessary training and further education of teachers, and the equipping of inclusive schools with additional teachers and special educators.

The implementation of inclusion in the school sector will also have far-reaching consequences for the equipment of schools and thus for the municipal school authorities. This is by no means just a matter of creating barrier-free school buildings and school grounds. Special teaching and learning materials are also required, and additional space is needed for additional classrooms and the necessary differentiation, therapy and subject rooms. In addition, and this is little discussed, successful inclusion requires additional school psychologists and school social workers as well as integration assistants to accompany children and young people with special educational needs in everyday school life. All of these additional tasks, on which the success of inclusion depends to a large extent, fall under the responsibility of the municipal school authorities and cause additional costs there.

In July 2013, this study quantified for the first time the expected additional municipal expenses for the city of Essen and the district of Borken in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Additional information

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