Policy Note 40: Upper Austria with top marks for compulsory school efficiency, Tyrol at the top for childcare

The results of the EcoAustria federal state benchmarking published at the start of the school year in the areas of compulsory general education schools and childcare show that Upper Austria has the best ratio of resources to impact in the compulsory education system. In childcare, the province of Tyrol achieves the best ratio of resources to performance.

"The efficiency potentials show where quality can be increased with the same resources. This is particularly important in the wake of the coronavirus crisis in view of limited budgetary leeway," says Wolfgang Schwarzbauer, Head of Research at EcoAustria. Relative to the benchmark of Upper Austria, there is an efficiency potential of around EUR 320 million in the compulsory school sector across the federal states. Compared to Tyrol, there is a cross-provincial efficiency potential of around 350 million euros in childcare.

Childcare and compulsory education in Austria are not uniformly regulated and organized nationwide. Municipalities and federal provinces have considerable potential for shaping the system. The EcoAustria federal state benchmarking examines differences in the provision of childcare and compulsory school services in a comparison of the federal states. In the compulsory school sector, the results of the BIFIE's review of educational standards were compared with expenditure as an outcome indicator, while in the childcare sector the number of children cared for was used as a performance indicator. This makes it possible to identify which federal states achieve the best performance and efficiency with which use of funds and are the most efficient in the areas of childcare and compulsory education. In order to ensure a fair comparison, structural differences in expenditure between the federal states are taken into account. In the area of compulsory education, for example, the proportion of pupils with a first language other than German, the proportion of pupils attending a compulsory general school and not a general secondary school and the class size structure were statistically controlled for. In the area of childcare, different opening hours were taken into account.

Education is crucial for the prosperity of highly developed economies. Entry into the education system plays a central role in this, and therefore the elementary, primary and lower secondary levels. "An efficient education system enables our children to receive the best education for the resources available. This improves their chances on the job market and allows them to develop their skills," says Schwarzbauer.