Berlin Schools Face Budget Crisis Over Funding for Class Trips

Restrictions on teacher travel reimbursements and rigid budget caps jeopardize many planned school trips in 2025, prompting calls for reform.

New budget restrictions in Berlin have significantly limited funding for teacher travel costs, leaving many schools unable to plan class trips for 2025.
Education Senator Katharina Günther-Wünsch (CDU) acknowledged that some districts, like Steglitz-Zehlendorf, have already exhausted their allocated budgets for trips, creating disparities between schools.
School leaders and unions argue that the rigid budget caps disproportionately affect less affluent schools and have called for more equitable funding solutions through flexible budget reallocations.
Proposals to address the issue include introducing a fixed, needs-based school budget and adopting a more autonomous budgeting model, similar to the one used in Hamburg.
The Berlin Senate plans to discuss potential adjustments in an upcoming supplementary budget, but critics warn that delays could leave many students without access to these vital educational experiences.