NÖ GVV challenges municipal funding of school support staff

The Association of Social Democratic Municipal Representatives in Lower Austria (NÖ GVV) is challenging the current regulations regarding the financing of support staff for compulsory schools. Following a legal opinion, the association claims that the requirement for municipalities to fund these staff members—who assist children with special educational needs—is unlawful and exceeds their designated responsibilities.

NÖ GVV President Andreas Kollross stated that municipalities are facing significant financial strain due to these additional costs. For instance, the municipality of Ternitz expects to spend approximately 130,000 euros on support staff for the 2026/2027 school year, while Schwechat faces costs nearing 250,000 euros.

The association is currently collecting complaints from various municipalities to submit individual applications to the Constitutional Court in October.