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