1. SCHOOL EDUCATION ACT A draft
Ministry of Education, Youth
and Science
SCHOOL EDUCATION ACT A draft
ROUND TABLE: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES OF SCHOOL AUTONOMY REFORMS IN BULGARIA
September 13, Sofia

2. School 21st Century Strategy 2020
Totally different global, social, economic and information context
New public expectations to the education of children and students
Children - heralds of new time
Strategy 2020
Public discussion on “The Bulgarian School”
School Education Act

3. Mission of Education Education, Science and Youth Policies Development Program 2009-2013
To play a decisive role in the fight against poverty
To be a deterring factor against social exclusion of large groups of people
Individual success is the system’s most important task
Every citizen is entitled to quality assured education, adequate to his/her needs and abilities

4. Basic elements of modern school education policy
MANAGEMENT of the system : based on objectives, values and strict allocation of responsibilities among the levels of governance; enhancing the role of major stakeholders
ASSESSMENT and measurement of : results; quality of educational environment
CONTENT: focused on creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship
PEDAGOGY : aimed at developing the potential of every single child (qualified teachers, modern school environment)
SUPPORT : to children, parents and teachers 
CONTROL : based on objectives, values and efficient distribution of responsibilities among stakeholders; improvement of accountability mechanisms

5. SCHOOL EDUCATION ACT State Policy
Education is a national priority
Children and students are the main asset of the education system
Framework character of the Act
Introduction of State Educational Standards
Scope:preschool upbringing and training, school upbringing and education

6. SCHOOL EDUCATION ACT Principles
Integrated systemic approach
Equity
Free education
Secular education
State-public principle
Autonomy of school policies
Right to free choice

7. SCHOOL EDUCATION ACT Principles
Monitoring and assessment of the quality of educational environment
Diagnostics and evaluation of the individual development and potential of every child and student
Humanistic nature of education
Inclusive education
Integrated cultural-educational environment
Obligatory character of literary Bulgarian language

8. Topical objectives of school education reform
Enhancing system’s efficiency
Enhancing quality of education
Improving equity mechanisms
Improving accountability mechanisms
Strengthening the role of major stakeholders

9. enhanced efficiency of education results
Improving
equity mechanisms
Quality measurement
Additional financing to central and protected schools
Specialized support to children and students from vulnerable groups
External national assessment for the 4th, 7th & 12th grades and publishing of the results
A special resource flow for stimulating higher quality of education and better students’ achievements

10. enhanced quality of education
Strong school leadership
Certification for educational unit management
Obligatory initial, continuing and higher qualification
Independence in defining the strength of staff, size of classes and individual remuneration of teachers
Sanctions upon poor delegated budget management or negative attestation

11. Greater compatibility between school policies and needs
Enhancing school autonomy
School autonomy: school curricula, school regulations, extra-curricula activities plan, qualification activities plan
Power of teachers to freely define the means and methods of educative process
Teachers select textbooks and teaching aids

12. Strengthening of accountability
Setting up a quality control institution
Providing more public information on school performance
National Education Inspectorate (NEI) – an independent body
Analyzing: quality of educational environment, ambient setting for conducting the process of education and upbringing, students’ results, qualification of teachers, quality of management
NEI publishes annual reports on the state of the system
Schools make their budgets public, parents get a copy of the school budget
Municipalities publish the allocation of funds on education by school

13. Strengthening the role of major stakeholders
Empowering school boards of trustees
Powers to municipalities in the process of appointing school principals
A mandatory Board of Trustees (BT) approves the school strategy and development plan and the school budget
Municipality representatives are members of BTs by default
Representatives of the Municipality, the Regional Education Directorate and the Board of Trustees are involved on parity basis in the process of electing school principals
Annual assessment of school principals’ performance by way of mandatory attestation carried out by representatives of the Municipality and the Board of Trustees

14. “It is time to be bold and ambitious” Jose Manuel Barroso