Since I first heard of home-education in the year 2006, there seems to have happend quite a bit in Austria in terms of homeeducators finally getting together.

Not all are into natural learning, of course, but despite the legal difficulties some are well convinced in learning at one’s own pace and according to one’s current interests.

There are local and country-wide gatherings here and there, participation in internetional action such as the IFED in September 2007, help for homeschoolers fleeing Germany.

After having a good well-functioning network set up, the next step would be to do something about the yearly testing and the prescribed state curriculum.

Tue 22 Jan 2008

Austria: Real Unschooling not possible yet!

Posted by naka under Austria, Local News, The NEWS
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The legal situation is the following:

The parent has to apply to the local school authorities before the school year in question to get the permission to "teach" at home. One has to follow the state curriculum, which is being tested at the end of the school year. If the child passes, one can reapply to homeschool in the following year. If the child fails, it has to resit the grade at a school, and most probably the family will be denied the possibility to homeschool in the future. In such a case, there is no legal way to repell.

So, although it’s entirely up to you how to acquire the knowledge, the content and pace of learning is strictly defined (in yearly steps). Which means quite a stretch to people who believe in natural learning.

Fri 14 Dec 2007