Training The weakest schools are already two years behind in mathematics and literacy – Now we want to control the rupture of learning gaps

How to prevent the growth of learning gaps? The differences between schools in Finland are still the smallest in the world by international standards, but according to the study, the best and worst performing schools have diverged from each other.

There can be up to two years of differences between schools in the different skills taught, such as in mathematics or in literacy.

Attempts have been made to close the gap by granting so-called equality money, ie funding for positive action. However, funding has had to be applied for every year, which has made applying for work tedious and cumbersome.

The Ministry of Education and Culture (OKM) is now proposing entry in the Education and Culture Financing Act. A bill is currently being drafted.

“The aim is to provide more long-term and proactive support to schools with a low level of education and a high unemployment rate and a high proportion of foreign-speaking population,” says the specialist. Jenni Nuutinen.

According to the proposal, the grant could in future be awarded for two years at a time. The criteria for support would be decided separately by regulation. According to Nuutinen, the assumption is that the corresponding award criteria will continue to apply.

Presented the model is close to what an assistant professor Venla Bernelius together with the researcher Heidi Huillan proposed in a study a year ago.

Bernelius warned at the time of a spiral of declining development in which pupils in a residential area face many challenges due to their background, which in turn could lead to a phenomenon in which the well-off middle class in particular begins to shy away from these schools. The workload of teachers is also increasing, which may lead to staff turnover.

Read more: The ‘declining cycle’ could drive teachers out of certain schools, says researcher

However, the effectiveness of the support also depends on the amount of support, Bernelius says. The level of grants paid has varied in recent years from around EUR 15 million to EUR 60 million. Of the funding provided as a special grant, it has been the most significant in recent years.

Whether the level is adequate is not known, as there is little research data on its effectiveness, Bernelius says.

“One may ask what the price of inequality is. What kind of investments can genuinely compensate for educational equality gaps, ”Bernelius asks.

State Economic Research Center (VATT) evaluates in 2017 The appropriation for positive discrimination paid in Helsinki increases, above all, the probability that students with an immigrant background and boys will apply for secondary education. However, the study could not take into account how the schools spent the money.

Bernelius therefore needs more information to support schools about how equality money should be allocated in schools.

Helsinki has been distributing positive action funding, ie the so-called positive discrimination money, to schools since 1999.

It has been received in recent years by schools with a high unemployment rate in the postcode area and a high proportion of the population dependent only on primary education and foreigners.

The amount of additional support has varied, but has in most cases accounted for around 0.7-0.9% of the budget for basic education. In 2021, the amount was EUR 3.7 million. Schools are allowed to decide how to use the extra support. The money is most often used to hire more teachers or provide additional instruction.

One One of the recipients of the special treatment grant in Helsinki is Pihlajamäki Primary School.

The school’s students have a lot of immigrant backgrounds who need support to learn the language, says the principal Tomi Ojanen. In addition, support is affected by the low level of education or poverty of adults in the area.

Last year, the school received an additional 65,000 euros, which is in the middle stages of the comparison of schools receiving positive special treatment money in Helsinki.

The sum does not work wonders for a school of 430 students, Ojanen admits. In practice, the money has been used to hire one more teacher. In addition, a small portion of the money has been spent on student study visits.

At Pihlajamäki Primary School, EUR 15–20 per student has been set aside each year to enable various study visits. It can mean a visit to a school in Heureka, for example, or a guided museum visit.

“There are a lot of low-income and large families in our area who can’t afford to go to these in their spare time,” says Ojanen. “Visiting places like this can be a very important thing for a student.”

Ojanen welcomes the consolidation of this appropriation. The problem with many of the funding for equality is that it is temporary and sporadic.

“A lot of good is done with project funding, but when the project period ends, they cannot be continued and their benefits and effectiveness will not be shown,” says Ojanen.

Consolidation would also facilitate the recruitment of competent and qualified teachers. Ojanen says that schools have to compete somewhat every year for qualified teachers.

“We have had a good situation mainly because it is known that the work atmosphere is good and the word is rushing. However, there are also teachers who are the first to ask about the number of students with an immigrant background at school when applying for a job,” says Ojanen.

Opinion round the bill on the financing of positive action expires at the end of February.

The bill is due to be submitted to Parliament in the spring of 2022, and it is scheduled to enter into force at the beginning of 2023.