Analysis of the situation in Spain
In a summary of the situation regarding educational legislation and the promotion of inclusion in schools in Spain, partner organizations Asociación Iniciativa Internacional Joven and IES Portada Alta shared that while the rights of ethnic minorities to education and social integration are established in the constitution and elaborated in educational laws, there are still some areas that are lacking. For example, one interesting detail that emerged during the analysis is that university students studying to be teachers receive little information on values and education in inclusion. Also, taking into consideration that Spain has an overall migrant population that is very high due to its geographical position and socio-political history, education in values and the promotion of social integration through legislation is needed now more than ever.
With that being said, some of the most notable pieces of legislation that work towards inclusive education include the Organic Law 4/2000 which establishes the rights and duties of foreigners in Spain, as well as guidelines on their integration into the school system. Furthermore, the Organic Law 3/2020 regarding education, updates the educational system to include new elements such as the perspective of interculturality, international coexistence, the promotion of values in school, and the culture of peace and human rights. Lastly, it is worth mentioning the Regional Educational Law, which in Act 17/2007 advocates for equity in Andalusian education through the creation of local school plans that take on integration and inclusion of students with special educational needs, such as migrants and ethnic minorities.
In relation to education in values, the extent to which Spain integrates these topics into the school system is through the implementation of Article 102 of Law 2/2006, obligating public administrations to provide further teacher training in topics such as citizenship education, values, etc., in their education centers.
At the local level, the Spanish partner organizations International Youth Initiative and IES Portada Alta have put into practice inclusive education and education in values in their centers.