What is the preferential school grant?
It is an amount in money that the State gives to subsidized educational establishments, whether private or municipal, for each priority student who studies in them and who attends the first or second transition level of preschool education (pre-kindergarten or kindergarten), basic education and secondary education . The goal is to improve the quality of education that these establishments deliver.
What is a “priority student”?
They are those for whom the socioeconomic situation of their homes makes it difficult for them to face the educational process.
Who determines which students are priority?
The Ministry of Education, according to the following criteria:
- Students whose family belongs to the Chile Solidario System.
- If the family does not belong to said plan, the student is considered a priority if his family belongs to the most vulnerable 33%, according to the Social Registry of Households.
- If any of the above conditions are not met, the student is considered a priority if their parents or guardians are classified in section A of Fonasa.
- In the case of students whose homes do not meet any of the above conditions, for the purposes of their qualification as priority, the family income of the home, the education of the parents or guardians, and the condition of rurality of their home and the degree of poverty of the commune where the student resides, in the manner described in the regulations of the law.
How can educational establishments apply for this grant?
They must meet the following conditions:
- Exempt priority students from any type of charge that conditions the application, admission or permanence of the student in the establishment.
- Accept students who apply between pre-kindergarten and sixth grade, according to admission processes that should not consider the past or potential school performance of the applicant. Nor should it be a requirement to present the family’s socioeconomic background.
- Inform applicants to the establishment and parents and guardians about the educational project and its internal regulations.
- Maintain students between pre-kindergarten and sixth grade in the establishment, without school performance being an obstacle to the renewal of their enrollment.
- Allocate the grant to implement the measures included in the Educational Improvement Plan, with special emphasis on priority students, and promote special technical-pedagogical assistance to improve the school performance of students with low academic performance.
Then, the holder must sign an Equal Opportunity and Educational Excellence Agreement with the Ministry of Education , which will be public and will cover a minimum period of four years, which may be renewed for equal periods.
What obligations does the holder have to sign the agreement?
Some are:
- Present annually to the Superintendency of Education, within the public accountability of the use of resources, and to the school community, a report on the use of resources received by preferential school subsidies. Each surrender must bear the signature of the director of the establishment.
- Accredit the effective functioning of the School Council, the Council of Teachers and the General Center for Parents and Guardians.
- Accredit the existence of teaching hours intended to fulfill the technical-pedagogical function in the establishment and ensure the effective fulfillment of the non-teaching curricular hours.
- Present to the Ministry of Education (and comply with) an Educational Improvement Plan, which includes actions in the areas of curriculum management, school leadership, school coexistence or management of resources at school . The plan must be submitted jointly to the Agency for the Quality of Education.
- Establish goals of effectiveness of the academic performance of their students, and especially of the priority ones.
- Inform the parents and guardians of the school’s students about the existence of this agreement, with special emphasis on the goals set in terms of academic performance.
- Have artistic and / or cultural and sports activities in their curriculum that contribute to the comprehensive training of students.
What happens if the holder does not present the report on the use of resources within the stipulated annual period?
The Undersecretariat of Education, following a report from the Superintendency of Education, must impose the immediate withholding of at least 50% of the payment of subsidies and other contributions contemplated in said law.
In the event that the holder complies with the obligation to render an account, said sanction will be lifted. However, another measure will be adopted if the holder has spent less than 70 percent of the resources of the grants and contributions received in said period. The Undersecretary of Education shall order that in the remaining period of the agreement, only the percentage of the amounts previously spent be transferred to the holder.
Who monitors compliance with the agreement?
The Agency for the Quality of Education.
What happens to the grant if the establishment doesn’t improve the quality of your education?
It is possible for a school to repeatedly perform poorly in the education of its students. If that is the case, the facility will be listed as “in recovery” and will no longer receive the grant. However, you will receive a special monetary contribution destined to take steps to get out of that category, such as presenting the Educational Improvement Plan, restructuring, reassigning teachers, etc. When the establishment reaches the required educational quality standards, it may reapply for the grant.
