Summary of the Government Bill: Clearer goals and knowledge requirements - new school curricula (2008/09:87)
Background
The current curriculum for the compulsory school system, preschool classes and out-of-school centres (Lpo 94) and associated syllabuses do not provide schools with the clear policy documents needed for follow-up at individual and service level. It is thought that more precise definitions of goals and requirements in the policy documents will enable more equivalence in assessing pupils knowledge development and level of goal fulfilment. Consequently, the Government intends to introduce integrated curricula with new syllabuses and national knowledge requirements in years 3, 6 and 9 of the compulsory school.
The Government aims to strengthen the conditions for better goal fulfilment in schools by means of extensive reform work in the school system. Far more pupils are expected to be able to achieve the school knowledge goals if the goal structure is made clearer both to teachers and pupils and if pupils' knowledge is continually followed up and evaluated. However, schools must have better tools for this work in terms of follow up and evaluation, both of pupils' knowledge and their own activities.
The proposal
Clearer goals and knowledge requirements - new school curricula (Govt. Bill 2008/09:87) proposes a new syllabus structure for compulsory school, compulsory school for pupils with learning disabilities, special needs school and Sami school. The bill also proposes integrated curricula for each type of school which are to include the schools fundamental values and tasks, overall goals and guidelines and syllabuses. The syllabuses are to be supplemented by special regulations on knowledge requirements for acceptable knowledge in years 3 and 6 of compulsory school and knowledge requirements for the three pass grade levels A, C and E in year 9 of compulsory school. There are also to be knowledge requirements in compulsory school for pupils with learning disabilities, special needs schools and Sami schools.
Entry into force and implementation
The National Agency for Education should be instructed to review the current syllabuses and grading criteria and to draw up knowledge requirements for acceptable knowledge in years 3 and 6 and knowledge requirements for the pass grade levels A, C and E in all types of school. The new grading scale should be introduced into the different types of school at the same time as the introduction of new syllabuses and new grading criteria in these schools. The Government's assessment is that new syllabuses and knowledge requirements can be successively introduced in the 2011/12 school year in compulsory and equivalent types of school. Pupils in year 9 of compulsory schools and compulsory schools for pupils with learning disabilities and in year 10 of special needs schools in the 2011/12 school year should be given the opportunity to complete their compulsory schooling under older regulations.
The Government considers that there will be a need for implementation and skills development measures following the introduction of integrated curricula with new syllabuses. It will take a long time before a new goal system has been established and before school management and teachers have developed the necessary familiarity with the system. The National Agency for Education should be assigned responsibility for the implementation measures.
The process
The Government at that time decided on 9 February 2006 to appoint an Inquiry Chair with the task of reviewing how the goals and follow-up systems for compulsory school and equivalent types of school can be strengthened and developed in order to improve the quality of education (ToR 2006:19). In May 2007 the Inquiry Chair submitted the report Clear goals and knowledge requirements in compulsory school (SOU 2007:28). The report was circulated for comment and subsequently processed at the Government Offices. The Government has now decided on a Bill to the Riksdag including proposals for a new syllabus structure for compulsory school, compulsory school for pupils with learning disabilities, special needs school and Sami school.
