| Name of the reform | M-Decree – Decreet betreffende maatregelen voor leerlingen met specifieke onderwijsbehoeften (M-Decree – Decree on Measures for Pupils with Special Educational Needs) |
| Country | Flemish Community of Belgium |
| Year | 2014 |
| Educational level | ISCED 1-3 |
| Kind / type | Special Education Reform |
| Coverage | Regional |
Summary
The M-Decree (2014) reformed the Flemish education system to promote the inclusion of children with special educational needs in mainstream schools. It aimed to strengthen pupils’ rights to attend regular education, reduce reliance on segregated special education in line with inclusive education principles and required schools to provide reasonable accommodations.
Agenda Setting
Context:
The M-Decree was adopted in Flanders, Belgium, in 2014 in response to growing criticism that the Belgian education system relied too heavily on segregated special education and did not sufficiently guarantee the right of children with disabilities and special educational needs to attend mainstream schools. The reform was strongly influenced by Belgium’s commitments under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), particularly the principle of inclusive education. Before the reform, a large proportion of pupils with disabilities were educated in separate special schools, while access to mainstream education often depended on schools’ willingness and capacity to provide support. Parents and disability-rights organisations argued that many children were effectively excluded from regular education despite international commitments to inclusion.
Aim:
The reform aimed to reinforce the right of students with special educational needs to be enrolled in mainstream education.
Target Groups
Children and young people with special educational needs (SEN) in pre-primary, primary and secondary education.
Formulation and Implementation
Legislative documents:
Decree of 21 March 2014 concerning measures for pupils with specific educational needs (Decreet betreffende maatregelen voor leerlingen met specifieke onderwijsbehoeften), commonly known as the M-Decree. It was adopted by the Flemish Parliament on 21 March 2014 and entered into force on 1 September 2015.
Key actions / main measures:
The law began by revising the classification system for students with special educational needs to include updated categories, notably introducing a specific category for children with autism, and then requiring mainstream schools to implement reasonable accommodations, such as providing specialised equipment and support staff, to ensure the inclusion of students with special educational needs. Schools were required to exhaust all reasonable adaptations before considering referral to special education. Parents were granted the right to appeal to the Student Rights Commission if a mainstream school refused to enrol their child with special educational needs.
Evaluation and Sustainability
The available evaluations suggest that the M-Decree contributed to a gradual increase in the inclusion of pupils with special educational needs in mainstream education and a reduction in enrolment in special schools, particularly at the primary level. In the first years after implementation, the number of pupils in special primary education decreased by over 12%, indicating a shift towards mainstream placements. However, evaluations and stakeholder reviews also highlighted implementation challenges, including insufficient support resources, increased workload for teachers, and concerns about schools’ capacity to provide appropriate accommodations.
Sustainability:
Sustainability was supported through continued public funding, specialised support services, and the integration of inclusive education principles into subsequent Flemish education reforms. These support services included guidance and counselling, integrated support from special education professionals, specialised assessment and referral procedures, as well as additional pedagogical support for mainstream teachers working with pupils with special educational needs.
Transferability Potential
Core mechanisms, namely the legal right to enrol children with special educational needs in mainstream schools, the schools’ obligation to provide reasonable accommodations, and the use of specialised support services, e.g guidance and counselling, can be adapted to different educational systems. Successful transfer, however, depends on adequate funding, teacher training, and the availability of support staff and specialist expertise to assist mainstream schools.