Heidelberg's Educational Policy in March 2026: Full-Day Care, Cultural Promotion, and Financial Adjustments

Expansion of Full-Day Care: Legal Entitlement and New Structures

In March 2026, Heidelberg decided to further expand the legal entitlement to full-day care at primary schools. In accordance with the Full-Day Care Support Act (GaFöG) and the SGB VIII, a demand-oriented care offer with eight hours on all school days will be provided for all primary school children, including those in private institutions and at the Special Educational Support and Advisory Centers (SBBZ), starting in the 2026/27 school year.

In this context, a new public facility, "Care at the Primary Level Site of the SBBZ," will be established at the Stauffenbergschule. The operator will be päd-aktiv e.V., which already has experience in care at other primary schools. The previous care hours are being revised: Early care will be abolished, and instead, three care modules will be offered:

• Module I: End of lessons until 2:30 p.m.
• Module II: End of lessons until 4:00 p.m.
• Module III: End of lessons until 5:00 p.m.

This change aims to reduce the city's financial contribution and increase the cost-coverage rate. The costs for the care offer in the 2025/26 school year amounted to 10.555 million euros, with parent contributions and state subsidies totaling approximately 5.999 million euros. The adjustments from 2027/28 could result in additional revenues of around 600,000 euros.

Parent Contributions Rise – Impacts on School Development

To finance the expanded care offerings, Heidelberg plans to adjust parent fees by 14.33 % for the school years 2026/2027 and 2027/2028. The adjustment aligns with tariff increases in the public sector. In addition, a new fee level VII is introduced to align the fee system for school child care with the model of municipal day-care centers.

However, the introduction of fee level VII could encourage a migration of primary school children to private schools, as the fees in this category will be close to those of private institutions. This risk is considered in the administrative proposal, which is why a risk discount is included in the planning.

Cultural Impulses: Funding and New Platforms

In addition to educational policies, Heidelberg also provided cultural impulses in March 2026. The city funded the Kulturhaus Karlstorbahnhof with a total grant of 1.337.461 euros for the year 2026. This grant was established after several adjustments in the budget and is a sign of the importance of cultural institutions in the city.

In addition, a special grant of 96,000 euros was awarded to the Heidelberg Adult Education Center e.V. (Volkshochschule Heidelberg) to offset a looming deficit for the year 2024. The VHS had fallen into financial crisis in recent years, and the city has already provided 825,000 euros in special grants from 2020 to 2025.

Another highlight was the presentation of the digital cultural map "Kult:Karte", which makes cultural actors in Heidelberg visible. The platform, developed in cooperation with the Digital Agency Heidelberg, allows cultural institutions to register and offers insights into the diversity of the city's cultural landscape.

Future Vision: European Capital of Culture?

Heidelberg is also preparing for a potential bid as European Capital of Culture. A working group, led by Department V, Culture Office, has initiated first discussions with former European Capitals of Culture and collected proposals from political groups. The goal is to develop a transformation narrative that combines Heidelberg's identity as a city of science, a cultural metropolis, and a green living city.

The bid for 2034 is still far off, but the city wants to discuss core topics publicly now in order to create a unique selling point. The combination of culture, science, environment, and social aspects could position Heidelberg as a strong candidate for the title.

Outlook: Further Challenges and Opportunities

The decisions of March 2026 show that Heidelberg is actively preparing for future challenges. The expansion of full-day care is a step toward a modern education system that also considers the needs of parents and families. At the same time, the city is setting impulses in culture that not only strengthen local identity but also present opportunities in tourism and the economy.

However, the financial orientation of the care offerings and the fee policy remain to be watched critically. The risk of migration to private educational institutions is real, and the city must act with foresight here. In addition, cultural development is a central factor for Heidelberg's future viability – not least in view of the ambition to become the European Capital of Culture.