1. Independent Schools in Sweden
TUC Conference ”The Future of our Schools”, 27 November 2010
Fredrik Mandelin

2. Funding
All Swedish schools are wholly funded by the municipality, independent and municipal alike
No school fees or other compulsory fees allowed (e.g. school trips)

3. Hopes and fears in 1992 In general: Pedagogical diversity
Better quality through competition
More cost-effective system
What about the segregation?
Trade Union hopes:
Competition among employers

4. Pedagogical diversity?
In the mid 90’s: Mainly schools with special educational philosophy
Today: Mainly general approach
Initially: Pedagogical enthusiasts
Now: Investors have entered the scene
However: Independent schools for pupils with need for special support have increased since 2000

5. Better Quality through Competition?
Lower proportion of teachers with a university teaching degree in independent schools
Independent schools smaller: Specialists?
There is a positive selection among pupils (and their parents) in independent schools
Competition may prevent sharing of successful ideas

6. More cost effective system?
The 1990’s economic crisis made everything much more cost effective
The end of municipal rationalization by closing down small countryside schools
The emerging independent schools took care of the baby boom generation, but now they are leaving school

7. Segregation? Not by the system per se
But choices in the system in general favor pupils with well educated parents
The housing segregation
Harder for the municipality to allocate extra money to schools in socially exposed areas, without having to increase the funding to the independent schools

8. The current situation: Market shares
Compulsory schools:
14 % of the schools
10 % of the pupils
Upper secondary schools:
44 % of the schools
20 % of the pupils
Pre-schools:
25 % of the schools
18 % of the pupils
Big regional differences

9. Competition among employers?
No shortage of teachers (except pre-school)
No successful enclosure of the teaching profession in Sweden
Individual examples exist
But teachers are reluctant to move

10. What became of it? Pedagogical diversity: Not in general
Better quality through competition: Hard to say
More cost-effective system: Not automatically
Segregation: Yes, but are the independent schools to blame?
Competition among employers: Hardly

11. Trade union challenges
A new kind of employer:
Small (no full time shop stewards)
Without collective agreements?
Entrepreneur rather than administrator
A new kind of member:
In an independent school by choice?
Often close to the employer
A new kind of trade union?

12. Source
Schools like any other? - Independent schools as part of the system published by The Swedish National Agency for Education
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