Mainstream educational enrollment for students with SEN in the EU

Abstract

Inclusive education is a relevant goal of the EU agenda. The educational reform started up in 70s has impacted on the current European educational enrollment. Regardless EU convergence, not every country has similar inclusion rates and that makes a multi-speed Europe in education, not as a political project but as a fact. After integration was overcome by inclusion and while inter and supranational declarations continue being written, we wonder on the mainstream educational enrollment rates for a better understanding of the European inclusive education. The rates of 28 countries have been analyzed. 25 of them are from the EU and 3 from the Schengen area. The dataset of the European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education was used for country data collection. Then, data were processed and three scores were obtained: students with SEN relative to the total school aged children; those of them in separate classes (mainstream centers) relative to those in formal educational settings; and students in special schools relative to the total students with official decision of SEN. Descriptive, relative data of each country is reported comparing findings, both demographics and educational enrollment rates. Whereas countries such as Austria, Belgium or Germany seem to be less inclusive, others like Cyprus, Italy or Spain appear to be European models for achieve inclusive education. New European educational policy trends, research lines and implication for practice are discussed.