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North Rhine-Westphalia Unveils Mandatory Pre-School 'ABC Classes' Starting in 2028/29

Eligibility will come from a unified spring 2028 language test, with the draft now headed to stakeholder consultation.

Overview

  • The state cabinet has backed the required school-law changes in principle, with stakeholder hearings beginning now and a Landtag debate expected in summer 2026.
  • From 2028, school registration moves to spring, when all children will take a statewide standardized assessment of German language skills.
  • Children found to need substantial support must attend two two-hour ABC sessions weekly in the year before enrollment, with parents responsible for attendance and facing possible fines for refusals.
  • Officials estimate about 50,000 participants, roughly 1,600 additional teaching and social-pedagogical staff, and around €100 million in annual personnel costs.
  • Schools will organize the program while municipalities provide rooms, transport and materials under a planned cost-compensation law, and an ABC‑Plus option will offer a three-year school-entry phase for added support.