Berlin abolishes waiting period for tenured teachers from other states

Berlin is taking a step forward on the issue of teacher tenure. Effective immediately, the waiting period for teachers with civil servant status who come or return to Berlin from other federal states will be waived.

This was announced by the Senate Department for Education on Wednesday (February 23, 2022). Since 2014, teachers from outside of Berlin had to have been civil servants in another federal state for at least five years in order to be taken on as tenured teachers in Berlin schools.

Preparations underway for return to teacher tenure

This rule was intended to prevent teachers employed in Berlin from transferring to another federal state for a short period of time, becoming civil servants there and then returning with civil servant status. However, because Berlin has since decided to return to civil servant status for teachers, the situation is now different, the education administration stated. The elimination of the waiting period before tenure is intended to help attract qualified teachers to Berlin as quickly as possible.

"With this first step, the return to tenure for Berlin teachers becomes irreversible"

"With this first step, the return to tenure for Berlin teachers becomes irreversible," said Berlin's Senator for Education Astrid-Sabine Busse. "At the end of March, as announced, we will present our time and action plan as part of the 100-day program." Berlin had abolished teacher tenure in 2004, but is now the only state still holding on to this decision. According to the Senate Department for Education, preparations are underway for a return to tenure for Berlin teachers.