Portugal special needs students face school placement shortages

The Movimento Cidadão Diferente (MCD) has issued an alert regarding the lack of available school places for students with special educational needs in Portugal. As the 2026/2027 school year approaches, dozens of families are reportedly struggling to access preferred schools, despite legal frameworks that grant priority to students with individual educational programs.

The MCD notes that while schools should not accept students without adequate human and material resources, these limitations are being used to systematically exclude students from their families' chosen institutions. This has resulted in students being placed in schools far from home or separated from siblings, causing emotional instability for children and logistical hardship for families.

In response to these issues, the movement has contacted the Assistant Secretary of State for Education, Alexandre Homem Cristo, requesting urgent solutions. One documented case involves a student in Cascais whose family expected placement at the Escola Básica e Secundária da Cidadela for proximity and continuity of therapy, only to find the student placed elsewhere via the enrollment portal.