1. 1 Education Reform in Progress (an Outline of the Current Italian System of Education) THE OLD SYSTEM Old education system was centralised, characterised by national curricula established by the Ministry of Education. From four school types or levels: pre-school education, primary education, lowersecondary education, upper secondary education Ministry provided detailed curriculum for all school levels and subject areas (fixed) THE REFORMED SYSTEM New system is characterised by an increasing level of autonomy granted to individual schools to a three-phase structure: Pre-school education, primary cycle, secondary cycle. Ministry now defines general framework, guidelines and principles, for all levels, types and branches of study. (flexible). Schools make any adjustments needed

2. 2 Ministry of Public Education Headed by Minister for Education Appointed by the Prime Minister Central authority, responsible for supervising and coordinating scholastic institutions throughout the country. The Ministry of Public Education lays down : the general goals and learning outcomes of the schooling process; specific learning objectives related to student competence levels; the subjects and activities which make up the national curriculum quota and annual teaching hours for these; limits the flexibility in balancing the time devoted to subjects and activities of the national curriculum quota; general indications for student evaluation and assessment.

3. 3 Regional Education Office Regional Education Authorities: are autonomous centres with administrative responsibility; have residual state functions which have been transferred neither to the Regions nor to the schools (for example: the determination of the number of the schools’ staff, the recruitment and school staff mobility); have functions related to the relationships with the Regions, local authorities, universities and formative agencies; Is present also at provincial and sub-provincial level through the centres for administrative support to schools, called Provincial Education Office. At peripheral level, the U.S.R. or Regional Education Offices were instituted in the late ’90s; Led by General Manager for Education; Appointed by the Minister for Education; Duration of appointment varies.

4. 4 Provincial Education Office (Uffici Scolastici Provinciali) Led by Managing Coordinator; Appointed by Regional Education Head; Duration of appointment varies.

5. 5 Individual Schools The school head / manager is responsible for: the overall management of the institution, of which he has legal responsibility; the management of financial and material resources and for the quality of the service provided; s/he promotes the necessary interventions aimed at guaranteeing quality in the educational processes; s/he can resort to teachers, of his choosing, to whom specific tasks can be delegated; his/her salary is made up of a fixed part and a variable part, this latter related to the ‘complexity’ of the school and attained results (e.g. number of pupils, student success and/or dropout figures, additional school projects) Led by Head Teacher / School Manager the post is gained by winning a concours; however, appointement is by General Manager for Education ; although individual permanent contracts are drawn for school heads, their work is subject to appraisal every three years; temporary school heads are appointed for a single year – made up by preliminary selection based on qualifications on appointed following professional experience (a permanent teacher for 7 or more years, length of teaching career, apprenticeship and work experience in institutions and bodies, etc.)

6. 6 School Autonomy (all must be worked into a ministerial outline and framework, to ensure uniformity throughout the country) School autonomy Education Offer Plan Teaching autonomy Organisation autonomy Autonomy in research, experimentation and development 1997 - Law 59: old the centralised school system was dismantled and School Autonomy granted (teaching, administration, research activities, experimentation and development). Schools determine and implement the educational offer: each school prepares the Education Offer Plan yearly. Flexibility in organising school time and teaching time in the way which is better suited to the study and learning rhythms; organise teaching into modules or teaching units, etc Overall timetable can be adopted to the Education Plan’s requirements; teacher employment is flexible. Teaching staff and other personnel plan training activities, set up ‘network agreements’ with other schools, education institutions, businesses, etc.

7. 7 School Collective Bodies School Council (Consiglio di istituto) The Executive Board (Giunta Esecutiva) Teachers’ Assembly (Collegio dei Docenti) Class Council is made up of elected representatives of teaching and non- teaching staff, parents and, in upper secondary schools, students. It is chaired by a parent. is elected by the School Council; chaired by the School Manager. It draws up the preliminary budget and the final accounts and ensures that resolutions of the School Council are implemented. is made up of the permanent and temporary teachers and chaired by the School Manager. It formulates the ‘School education plan’, taking into account proposals and opinions expressed by parents' associations and organisations. it is consulted by the Dirigente scolastico as regards class formation, lesson timetables and the performance of school activities, taking account of the general criteria laid down by the School Council comprises school manager (chair), teachers of all subject areas (usually 8), special needs teacher(s)

8. 8 Staffing School Head or Manager Assistant head teacher Administrative Manager Office staff Laboratory staff Librarians Caretakers