School budgets: More flexibility for Berlin schools

Berlin's schools are to be able to spend money from the education administration more flexibly than before.

This should make it possible to better align the respective school budgets with their own needs from the 2025 financial year, for example with regard to substitute teaching, learning materials or school trips, according to the Senate Department for Education.

Balancing different means with each other

Among other things, money for substitute teaching and travel costs for school trips, for example, can be offset against each other. Those who spend less on one side will have more available on the other. The same applies to funds from the state programs "Bonus Program" and "Berlin Challenge".

Prioritization through flexible budgets

Previously, the schools' funds were divided into numerous individual items, which made it difficult to use them flexibly, according to the education administration. The new regulation allows schools to set their own priorities within the budget and use funds more efficiently.The flexibilization of school budgets is a milestone for the Berlin school landscape, said Education Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch (CDU). "Schools can use their resources in a more targeted and autonomous way in order to meet the individual needs of their pupils."