Ludwigshafen: Educational Policy March 2026 – Full-Day Schools, Digital Equipment, and Transportation Costs

Expansion of Full-Day Schools in Ludwigshafen

In March 2026, Ludwigshafen took two more steps toward a comprehensive full-day school offering. The Luitpoldschule and Niederfeldschule elementary schools will continue as full-day schools starting with the 2027/2028 school year. This increases the number of full-day elementary schools in the city from five to seven – a significant improvement in comparison to the state average.

The decision was based on clear provisions of the Rhineland-Palatinate School Act (§ 14 Abs. 3 SchulG), which allows the establishment of a full-day school if at least 36 children are enrolled. Both schools significantly exceed this number: 72 children currently participate in the 4 p.m. childcare program at the Luitpoldschule, and 84 at the Niederfeldschule. The decision was also welcomed from a youth welfare planning perspective, as it offers families greater flexibility and expands childcare options in the city.

In addition, structural and infrastructural measures are planned, such as the renovation of school courtyards, the expansion of kitchen capacities, and the hybrid use of canteens. Existing sports halls and childcare rooms already contribute to the operation of the full-day school offering.

Digital Equipment: Microsoft 365 A3 Licenses for Teachers

Another key topic in March 2026 was the procurement of Microsoft 365 A3 licenses for teachers and school staff. The school board decided to proceed with the licensing through the existing framework agreement with CANCOM GmbH. The licenses include Office applications, Microsoft Teams, Exchange Online, and SharePoint, and are intended to support a uniform digital working environment at the schools.

The cost of the licenses amounts to approximately 175,000 EUR per year, totaling 525,000 EUR over three years. The licensing is done via Campus Level A (Unified EDU per User), which offers legal and economic benefits. In addition, learners receive a free M365-A1 license through the Microsoft Student Benefit. The investment is included in the 2026 budget and onward under cost center 31310001 and is considered a central component of the digital transformation in education.

Cost Reimbursement for Student Transportation with the City of Landau

Another topic that occupied the school board was the cost reimbursement for student transportation according to § 69 Abs. 7 SchulG. The city of Ludwigshafen agrees to a purpose-specific agreement with the city of Landau to regulate transportation costs for students at the Jakob-Reeb School with a focus on social-emotional development (SFE).

The Ludwigshafen branch of the SFE school teaches students up to the orientation stage. Starting in the 7th grade, students must transfer to the main campus in Landau. Preliminary calculations show that the annual reimbursement costs for the city of Landau amount to approximately 12,000 EUR. This agreement is part of a state-wide regulation in which districts and independent cities contribute to transportation costs. Ludwigshafen already has experience with such agreements, for example with the city of Frankenthal.

Price Adjustments in School Book Procurement

Finally, the school board decided on the allocation of book procurement for the 2026/2027 school year. In total, three bookstores received contracts, with a total volume of approximately 470,000 EUR. The bookstores Schweitzer Fachinformationen, Leseecke, and Fröhlich won the tenders. The provision of free learning materials and the paid loan of books are mandatory tasks of the school board, and the costs are fully covered by the state. If the contract is extended until 2029/2030, the volume could rise to up to 1.88 million EUR.

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Overall, March 2026 was a showcase month for Ludwigshafen's educational policy. With the expansion of the full-day school offering, investments in digital infrastructure, and the regulation of transportation costs, the city is setting clear priorities for modern, inclusive, and family-friendly education. The coming months will show how these decisions are implemented in practice and what impact they will have on school development and the quality of life in Ludwigshafen.