The Department of Education and Vocational Training has prepared a series of emergency measures to improve the educational system in the 2026-2027 school year, which will begin on September 8 for 1,604,988 students, a slightly lower number than last year, and 85,052 teachers and professors, 1,103 more than the previous September. The new school year, which will continue to be marked by teacher protests as predicted by the unions, has already been allocated the new budget for the department, 25% more than the previous year.
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The most notable innovations focus, on the one hand, on student support with the addition of 500 more reception classrooms for immigrants and a strong allocation of nurses to cover half of the educational centers. On the other hand, it proposes addressing the challenge of the impact of artificial intelligences on student learning with a recommendation guide for educational centers and families, as well as offering training. In this regard, it proposes restricting access to AI to those over 14 years old with authorization, along with a series of guidelines to prevent misuse and enhance its benefits.
Reception classrooms
The reception classrooms that improve the Catalan language skills of newly arrived foreign students will increase to a total of 2,141 classrooms across all centers, 500 more than the previous year. This is the largest increase in a single year in the history of this provision.
In this immigration support plan, the so-called intensive reception classrooms are doubled, increasing from 27 to 45 classrooms, which implies the allocation of about one hundred teachers specialized in language teaching. These classrooms allow foreign teenagers joining secondary education a smoother and emotionally more appropriate transition to their circumstances. For about four months, they attend classes to gain enough confidence and language skills to follow the regular classes of their peers. These classrooms will be limited to 18 students.
The reception classrooms will increase to a total of 2,141 classrooms across all centers
Additionally, a plan is launched with 50 teachers to reinforce language skills for students who can no longer attend reception classrooms but still have communication difficulties.
Another new feature for this school year, which Education announced a few weeks ago, is the presence of a permanent school nurse in each educational center, a highly demanded request from the teaching staff. This year, 50% of schools will be covered, and the rest in the following year.
Regarding diversity in the classroom, places in special education centers are also being expanded to accommodate more students with special educational needs who require significant attention. 204 places will be opened. In this regard, the Lexia center in Barcelona has been integrated into the public network.
The increase in staff for inclusive schooling is 531 professionals.
Recommendations on AI
Education has prepared a guidance document for the use of AI in schools recommending banning it for those under 14 years old (for primary students and up to the second year of secondary education) and allowing its use “with authorization” for others until they reach adulthood.
This guide, aimed at students, families, and teachers, is accompanied by training offers and the recommendation for educational centers to establish working groups to develop a proposal for incorporating AI in schools.
Artificial intelligences are challenging the school system due to their ability to do students’ tasks, resulting in a loss of learning.
Students will be able to ask the teacher if AI is used to correct their work and express the desire that it not be used
The guide provides basic guidelines aimed at raising awareness about the harm of use to the detriment of learning (such as replacing homework or assignments, for example), “activities designed to exercise skills and consolidate knowledge,” it states, “On exam day, you will not have AI,” it warns.
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Regarding the relationship established with chatbots, it warns that they are not a person, that they are designed to flatter the user, and that although they seem to understand emotions and feelings, they are machines.
As for the potential uses, it indicates that AI can be used to explain complex topics simply and age-appropriately, help prepare for exams by designing questions and evaluating answers.
For the 2026-2027 school year, the staff is reinforced with 1,103 teachers, 531 educational support professionals, and 196 administrative staff
It also highlights the right of a student to know if the teacher is using AI to correct a work and to express the desire that it not be used.
Regarding high school students presenting research projects, which this year will no longer count as 10% of the course grade as before but will count as an additional subject, Education recommends strengthening the verification of authorship and the student’s deep understanding of the topic during the oral defense and indicates the appropriateness of the student identifying when and how AI was used.
The document also reminds of compliance with European prohibitions on its use for minors (biometric data, emotion interference systems, and others).
Educational system
The decline in students has slowed this year compared to the previous one, but demographics continue to weigh on educational centers. Since the 2021-2022 school year, 58,500 students have been lost in compulsory education and about 7,700 in post-compulsory education. During this period, the number of teachers has increased by 7,800.
For the 2026-2027 school year, the staff is reinforced with 1,103 teachers, 531 educational support professionals, and 196 administrative and service staff. In total, the teaching staff will amount to 85,052, educational support staff (social educators, integrators, and others) 4,564, and administrative staff 4,806. A pilot program is also launched to promote the role of center manager to support school leadership.
Teachers will see their salaries increased with the new improvement supplement of 700 euros annually, added to the 800 euros they received in May as a specific supplement.
New educational centers
The Government has invested 35.4 million euros in four new buildings and three expansions and plans to allocate 36.8 million euros for six more projects. Additionally, 50 million euros have been invested in renovation works for 304 centers, separate from the fund allocated to municipal entities for school renovations (100 million).
Climate control
The department has invested about one hundred million euros to improve heating and cooling in the public school network and has installed fans in nearly 400 centers to combat heat thanks to a 20 million euro investment.
