Pool plan could ease rising school aide costs

A proposed system for sharing school aides among several pupils could help cash-strapped municipalities manage rising costs in Bavaria, BR reports. The number of children needing support has grown, and more than 26,000 children with physical, intellectual or mental disabilities in the state require a school aide.

For 14-year-old Emma, who is autistic, a dedicated aide helps make attending school possible. She is in ninth grade at Puchheim Gymnasium, a secondary school, and can find unexpected changes such as group work stressful. Her aide watches for signs that she is struggling and helps her leave situations that overwhelm her.

Emma compares going to school to putting her hand on a hot stove. Her aide, she says, is like an oven glove. The support gives her security and orientation, while teachers have agreed on signals with the aide to alert them if something is wrong.

The number of school aides for children and young people with mental disabilities doubled from 2,755 in 2018 to 6,842 in 2024. Spending on that support also doubled, reaching more than 133 million euros. The county of Fürstenfeldbruck alone pays three million euros a year, according to county head Thomas Karmasin.

Children currently have an individual legal entitlement to one-to-one support. Under a planned federal reform, a team of aides would instead support pupils in a pool, with one aide working with several children as needed. One-to-one support would remain an exception.

The Bavarian Association of Counties, the Association of Districts, the state social affairs ministry and providers such as Johanniter support pooling as a way to ease pressure on local budgets. They say, however, that children with mental disabilities would still need individual arrangements. Karmasin also says schools should take greater responsibility for support, and the association says more structural solutions are needed.