In a recent survey, Bavarian school policies received a modest approval rating of 4.2 from the very heads who oversee its implementation. A Forsa survey revealed this on Friday, with one-third of these heads awarding the policy a perfect 5, and another 7% giving it a commendable 6. Although this is an improvement from the previous year's average of 4.6, it still lags behind the national average of 4.3.
As the teaching staff shortage looms, schools are increasingly relying on lateral entrants to close the gap. This trend is more pronounced in Bavaria than nationwide. As per the survey, 78% of Bavarian school leaders employ teachers without formal qualifications, compared to 66% across Germany. This is a significant jump from 2021 when 54% of Bavarian school leaders reported hiring lateral entrants.
The survey conducted on over 1,300 heads nationwide, including around 250 in Bavaria, suggests a shift in reliance on lateral entrants. The head teachers view the shortage of teaching staff as the most pressing issue, with 61% acknowledging it. Other concerns include inclusion and integration (28%) and high workload with lack of time (22%).
Administrative workload and a growing list of tasks are the primary sources of stress for head teachers, according to the survey. Despite these challenges, a majority of 87% of the respondents in Bavaria expressed enjoyment or at least satisfaction with their role.
The teacher shortage leads schools in Bavaria to turn more frequently to lateral entrants for support, with 78% of school leaders employing teachers without formal teaching qualifications. This is in response to the education policy, which, while not flawless, secures an adequate rating of 4.2 from the heads themselves.
While educational policies and the increased usage of lateral entrants in Bavarian schools affect the head teachers, studies on new housing supply, natural language processing for similar languages, and reports on sustainable economies and political processes in Germany and the US do not provide direct insights into this topic. It requires a specific source focused on educational policies and lateral entrants in Bavarian schools to answer this question accurately.
