Budget Cuts: Are Independent Schools Being Held Back?

The planned cuts to the state budget have sparked a wave of protest among independent schools in Saxony. Siegfried Kost, spokesperson for the Association of Independent Schools in Saxony, calls it a “breach of a taboo.” The Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs wants to roll back independent schools—even though, according to the state constitution, they are on equal footing with public schools. He views the current draft of the budget accompanying legislation with concern.

This draft calls for funding cuts to independent schools, such as reducing the state’s coverage of operating costs from 100 percent to just 90 percent. “This doesn’t jeopardize a school’s existence, but it does affect its quality,” says Kost. He fears that parent fees will then have to rise or that additional educational programs will have to become fee-based. This would make independent schools less attractive, “regardless of whether that’s the intention or not, or whether it’s just a side effect that occurs.”

Budget Cuts and Declining Enrollment

Two factors are converging in Saxony: The state government must cut costs, and student enrollment is declining. Kost believes that independent schools are now increasingly perceived as competition for public schools. While independent schools often have waiting lists, the declining enrollment affects public schools more quickly, putting a school location at risk sooner. 

“We have decided that the cost-cutting efforts should be shared by many stakeholders, including independent schools,” says Minister of Education and Cultural Affairs Conrad Clemens (CDU). He is counting on independent schools to understand that their growth strategy must be reevaluated. Even though independent schools are an integral part of the school system.

A compromise is taking shape

Clemens’s primary concern is to raise the barriers to establishing new independent schools: The draft of the budget accompanying legislation provides for stricter approval procedures and a reduction in state subsidies from 80 to 60 percent during the first three years after a school is founded. “Those are the two issues where I think the state parliament will also go along with this,” says the Minister of Education, referring to the ongoing budget negotiations. Regarding operating costs, he now expects that the planned reduction will be removed from the budget accompanying bill. 

This could also be due to the fact that independent schools have been mobilizing for months, primarily against the cuts to operating expenses. Christin Melcher is the education policy spokesperson for the Green Party’s state parliamentary caucus. She says she has received hundreds of letters of protest from independent schools, parents, and teachers in recent months.

Too much unequal treatment?

Melcher agrees with the independent schools on this point: A cut in operating costs would amount to excessive unequal treatment compared to public schools and could potentially violate the Saxon Constitution. Minister of Education Clemens sees it differently and cites a legal opinion commissioned by the ministry: “The legislature has leeway in shaping policy and making assessments. State financial aid is not the same as full funding,” he says.

For Christin Melcher of the Green Party, every cent saved at the expense of schools is one too many. Nevertheless, in light of declining student enrollment, she signals a willingness to discuss the matter: “We probably need to tighten the approval requirements for independent schools.” Melcher is also a member of the state parliament’s Committee on Schools and Education. Intensive discussions are currently underway. The next meeting will take place on November 20.