Schulart

Schulart (German: school type) is a category used in German-speaking education systems to classify schools according to their function, level, and curriculum. It describes the form or track within the school system and is used in policy, administration, and everyday language to distinguish institutions.

In Germany, common Schularten include Grundschule (primary school, usually grades 1–4), and secondary schools such as Hauptschule (lower secondary, often grades 5–9 or 10), Realschule (intermediate secondary, often 5–10), Gymnasium (academic secondary, often 5–12/13) and Gesamtschule (comprehensive school combining tracks). Special education includes Förderschule. Vocational pathways are provided by Berufsschulen and Berufsbildende Schulen, Fachoberschulen, and Berufskollegs, which lead to vocational qualifications or the Allgemeine Hochschulreife in certain forms. The exact set of Schularten varies by federal state, reflecting regional education policy and curricular design.

In Austria, Schularten include Volksschule (primary, four years), Neue Mittelschule or Allgemeinbildende Höhere Schule at upper primary level, and secondary forms such as Gymnasium (AHS), Handelsakademie, and other specialized schools.

In Switzerland, distinctions exist among Sekundarstufe I schools (e.g., Sekundarschulen, Bezirksschulen) and Sekundarstufe II tracks (Gymnasium, Fachmittelschulen, Berufsbildung), with cantonal variation.

The concept shapes curricula, duration of study, and qualification outcomes (e.g., Hauptschulabschluss, Realschulabschluss, Allgemeine Hochschulreife). It influences transitions between schools and access to higher education or vocational training, and it is a focus of reform debates centered on equity and flexibility.