Austria‘s Lower Secondary School Reform „Neue Mittelschule“ (NMS)
The Austrian School System: High Level of Parent Choice
Kindergarten
Academic secondary
schoolLower secondary school
Primary school
Academic secondary
school
Technical & vocational colleges Intermediate
tech/voc school Prevocation
al
Apprentice schools
Year
s 1-4
Year
s 5 -8
Year
s 9-1
2/13
School leaving certificate„Matura“
Federal legislation, state provincial administration
Federal legislation & administration
Equity issues in lower secondary due to selection at age 10
Terminology
NMS-EB (Entwicklungsbegleitung) = external consultancy team/guidance during pilot phase 2008-2012; continuity through know-how transfer to National Center for Learning Schools (CLS) established in 2012.
Lerndesigner = teacher leader/change agent,evidence-informed qualification program focused on equity and student achievement2-year curriculum (equals 12 ECTS credits), feeds into a MA program, now a joint program between CLS & Pädagogische Hochschulen (regional level)
The NMS Story:Goals = equity & excellence
2008Legislation for NMS Reform Pilot passed in Parliament; Project Team installed
Generation 1 with 67 schools begins pilot
External consulting NMS-EB initiates first network meeting with school leaders
NMS-Platform is provides courses, documentation & networking online
2009NMS-EB initiates Lerndesigner role; first national Lernatelier in January
Momentum grows; 177 schools apply to participate in Generation 2 and begin in September. All state provinces are now involved in the pilot phase. Two state provinces (Vorarlberg & Burgenland) are near 100% participation.
2010Generation 3 with 76 schools joins the pilot phase.
NMS-House illustrates key skills & knowledge for curriculum & instructional development
Parent survey shows high satisfaction; Online Platform for parents is opened
The NMS Story cont'd2011Generation 4 with 114 schools joins the pilot phase
Political will to reform lower secondary grows: “The NMS increases chances for all youth”
2012Generation 5 with 264 schools begin in September.
Coalition partners define legislation; mandate passes Parliament in April. Pilot phase ends; implementation begins.
External consulting NMS-EB in its final year; National Center for Learning Schools is created to maintain continuity & continue development
National NMS Congress in Vienna; 900 participants from Generations 1 – 5 and system partners
2013Generation 6 with 254 schools ready to start in September
Lerndesigner-Network focus for Austria’s project in OECD ILE Phase 3
Know-how transfer to system; new teacher education curriculum, Master degree program for Lerndesigners begins, CLS continues development online and in face-to-face events with system partners
First annual NMS Symposia for Lerndesigners post-qualification.
Plus of 11.38% in qualification for academic-track schools among NMS graduates 2012/13
From Pilot to Implementation: Complete 2020
Pilot Phase
G6274 2013/2014Implemen-tationPhase
G7Ca. 200
2014/2015
G8Ca. 200
2015/2016
Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture
Dr. Claudia Schmied, Minister
NMS-Project Team, Dept. I/2Helmut Bachmann & Andrea Werner-
Thaler
External EvaluationBIFIE
(national testing & school effectiveness research)
Erich Svecnik, Günter Haider Ferdinand Eder,
Angelika Petrovic, Helmut Fend
Pädagogische Hochschulen
(Teacher Education)
PH NMS-Coordinators
Information & DebateReports available in the NMS
archive (German) www.bmukk.gv.at/nms
Brochures, DVD, information platforms
www.neuemittelschule.at www.nmsvernetzung.at
Implementation in all compulsory lower secondary
schools; pilot classes in academic-track schools (opt-in)
In cooperation with:
School Boards & School Inspectorates State-Level NMS-Coordinators
NMS Think TankSchool Principals
TeachersStudents
Parents & Guardians
National Center for Learning Schools
Christoph Hofbauer & Tanja Westfall-Greiter
in cooperation with PH-Lower Austria & University of Innsbruck
+Regional Competence Teams
NMS Ministry Project Structure
Gateway to web resources and platforms
http://www.neuemittelschule.at/[4 min video]
The NMS Community & Partners: University Colleges of Teacher Education + State School Boards
Success Factors
Pilot legislation § 7a stability Project team at Ministry leadership Pilot schools required majority among
school staff and parents to begin momentum
New roles for teachers teacher leadership
External consultancy NMS-EB system learning
Strategies that worked:» Change agents (Lerndesigners)» National networking events» Evidence-informed qualification » Online platform for networking & dissemination
Current Challenges
New requirements in NMS mandate confusion, difficult transition for pilot schools
Teacher compensation does not accommodate new social architecture in schools (teacher leaders) effectiveness depends on school
„Pension wave“ in next 10 years (76% in NMS) new starts for some schools
Attracting 8-year academic schools to opt in selection
Firewalls between policy & practice alignment & compliance
Response lag in teacher education qualification burden on continuing education / CLS