Andorra Approves School Absenteeism Rules and Disability Support Overhaul

The Andorran government has approved updates to the regulations on preventing and addressing school absenteeism, following the detection of 55 cases during the 2024-2025 academic year among roughly 12,000 enrolled students.

Government spokesperson and minister Guillem Casal said the changes aim to strengthen early detection, streamline intervention processes in schools, and improve coordination among involved parties to encourage students' return to classrooms. Absenteeism remains a low-incidence issue in the Principat, but the reform recognizes its complexity, often linked to educational, social, economic, or family factors. Key updates include a clearer delineation of responsibilities and timelines for action, with schools positioned as central hubs for monitoring and recovery efforts.

A major addition is a new national absenteeism rate, serving as a complementary indicator to the existing index. This tool will provide more reliable data and enable an annual national report, expected from this autumn. Cases will now be classified by severity—moderate or severe—based on hours or days missed, allowing tailored responses.

In the same Council of Ministers session, officials approved a new framework for specialized educational supports for students with disabilities in public schools, replacing the 2008 model. Around 400 students currently receive such assistance, involving the Fundació Privada Nostra Senyora de Meritxell.

The overhaul shifts from pupil-specific allocations to a more equitable system based on overall school needs, aligned with universal design for learning principles. Supports will no longer tie exclusively to individual students but also consider the broader educational environment. This includes objective criteria for distributing specialized staff and sharing physical and technological materials.

Reference ratios include one specialized educator per five students with disabilities in preschool and compulsory education, and one school life companion per five students, adjustable to specific needs. Casal emphasized that the changes involve no resource cuts or reductions in care, only a reorganization to match each school's profile. For instance, centers with one to five such students will get one full-time specialist, while those with nine or ten may receive two. Some students might shift classes to optimize services, ensuring no one lacks necessary support for learning, mobility, or daily activities.