The middle school level groups finally have their application texts.
The decree which organizes the system which must see the light of day at the next school year in 6th and 5th grade, then in 4th and 3rd grade in 2025, was published this Sunday morning in the Official Journal.
The text specifies that “the common lessons of French and mathematics, throughout the timetable, are organized in groups for all classes and levels of the college.
The groups are formed according to the needs of the students identified by the teachers.”
At no time is there mention of level groups, dear to Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, initiator of the reform, or of need groups such as the Minister of National Education Nicole Belloubet renamed them.
But if the qualifier “level” has been deliberately forgotten, it is clearly stated that the students will be distributed according to their skills.
“The groups of students in greatest difficulty benefit from reduced numbers,” confirms the implementing decree.
A little flexibility
Groups therefore constitute the new standard for teaching mathematics and French, but entire classes do not completely disappear in these two subjects.
As the ministry announced last week in a seeming concession made to teachers and school heads, largely opposed to the reform, a form of flexibility will always be possible.
Entire classes may continue to exist intermittently and for up to ten weeks a year.
“By way of derogation, and in order to guarantee the consistency of the educational progressions of the different groups, students may be, for one or more periods, one to ten weeks in the year, grouped in accordance with their reference class for these lessons.
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Finally, the decree clearly mentions flexibility and the possibility for students to navigate between the three groups depending on the delays they could accumulate or the progress they could make throughout the year.
“The composition of the groups is re-examined during the school year, particularly during regroupings, in order to take into account the progress and needs of the students.
» It remains to be seen whether the clarifications provided by these texts will be enough to calm the anger which continues to grow within the educational community, and among certain parents of students, hostile to these level groups.