D2.1 Policy analysis report Jan 2026
25 Years of Education Policy Changes for Equity and Inclusion in Europe
Policy Analysis Report Summary (January 2026) — A comprehensive mapping of 431 educational reforms across 29 European countries (EU-27, Norway, and England) implemented between 1999 and 2024.
Key Executive Findings
Educational policy across Europe over the past quarter-century shows a steady increase in reform activity aimed at mitigating social inequalities, driven by international benchmarking and EU equity targets. However, significant structural and implementation gaps remain.
- Early Childhood Education & Care (ECEC): Major expansion in access, lowering of compulsory starting ages, and fee-reduction schemes (e.g., Romania Law 56/2019, Germany’s Sprach-Kitas, Norway’s Free Core Time).
- Targeted Group Interventions: Widespread adoption of early language support, preparatory classes, and intercultural mediation for migrant and minority learners.
- Roma Inclusion: Formal desegregation measures, early participation incentives, and dedicated bursary/mentoring programs (e.g., Hungary’s On the Road program).
- Upper Secondary & VET Modernisation: Tailored study pathways, flexible academic-vocational transitions, and expanded work-based learning (e.g., Portugal’s VET syllabus reform).
- Tertiary Education Equity: Expanded access for students with special educational needs (SEN) and disabilities through dedicated university access units and targeted scholarships (e.g., Slovenia’s Placement of Children with Special Needs Act).
- Regional Disparities & Early School Leaving: Geographic priority zones, early warning systems, and integrated support (e.g., Italy’s PON 2014-2020, Slovenia’s CroCooS, Denmark’s FGU).
Key Reform Statistics (1999–2024)
The STRIDE research team identified 431 major national and regional education reforms targeting inequality. Below is a structural breakdown of the surveyed policy landscape:
| Dimension | Key Indicator / Metric | European Summary / Value |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Education | Duration Range (Average) | 9 to 15 years (EU Average: 11.37 years) |
| Compulsory Starting Age | Earliest vs. Latest Entry | Age 3 (FR, HU) to Age 7 (EE, FI, SE, PL, BG, HR) |
| Reform Frequency | Total Identified Reforms | 431 reforms (Average: 13.5 per country) |
| Top Reform Focus | Primary Category | Laws / Regulations of Access (219 reforms) |
| Evaluation Gap | Publicly Evaluated Reforms | Only 129 out of 431 reforms (302 unassessed) |
Critical Policy Insight: The Evaluation Gap & Policy Churn
A central finding of the report is the widespread presence of “policy churn” — rapid, top-down implementation of legislative reforms without sufficient longitudinal monitoring. Out of 431 analysed reforms, 302 lacked any publicly accessible or systematic evaluation. This creates a substantial monitoring gap in European educational governance, making it difficult to assess long-term efficacy or disseminate evidence-based best practices.
Furthermore, student mental health, emotional well-being, and social safety remain largely unaddressed as explicit core goals within national reform agendas, appearing mostly indirectly via food or homework programs.
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