Buenos Aires, Argentina

Instruction for Mathematics and Science in Primary and Lower Secondary Grades

Grade at Which Specialist Teachers for Mathematics and Science are Introduced

Students are taught by mathematics and science subject specialists in the classroom from the first year of secondary school (Grade 8), if not before. In some schools, students are taught by specialists in mathematics and science at the primary level from Grade 6 or 7. Mathematics instruction begins in kindergarten.

Instructional Materials, Equipment, and Laboratories

At state-run primary schools, the city provides textbooks for students from Grades 1 to 7, and teachers choose the textbooks from a list that is available online.^b In privately run schools, teachers recommend the textbooks. At the secondary level, teachers are free to choose textbooks and typically prepare their own exercises and guidelines.

Within the framework of the National Plan for Compulsory Teacher Education (Resolution No. 188/12, 2012–2016), the Ministry of Education made the provision of laboratory equipment and libraries in public primary schools universal. A former program, Natural Sciences for All, initially distributed them to a group of beneficiary schools.⁹

Use of Technology

The incorporation of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in public schools has been promoted in recent years through two main programs: Conectar Igualdad (CI), a national program for secondary schools, and Plan Sarmiento BA (PSBA), a City of Buenos Aires intervention that focuses on primary schools. Both programs aim to promote equal opportunities and socio-educational inclusion for the most disadvantaged groups. These programs distribute netbooks and notebooks to teachers, principals, and students, and deliver teacher education both onsite and online on different technology topics, including subject content, software programming, and applications. The PSBA program also provides connectivity to all public primary schools in Buenos Aires. Since 2011, PSBA has delivered 270,004 laptops to students and 21,709 notebooks to teachers.

Accommodation Policies for Instruction and Testing

National Education Law No. 26.061 states that people with disabilities are entitled to education that promotes the highest development of their skills and abilities. Wherever possible, this is guaranteed through curricular adaptations in regular schools for students with disabilities. In cases where this is not possible, students may attend special education schools.

In the City of Buenos Aires, since 2000, schools are required to introduce curriculum adaptations for students with disabilities who need special care (Resolution No. 1274).¹⁰ Expected learning outcomes are adapted for individual students, and learning assessments are carried out through personalized analysis.

In 2009, the City of Buenos Aires passed the Public Policies for Educational Inclusion bill that provides options for high quality education through flexible learning plans (Ley No. 3331-LCABA-09).¹¹ An older bill, passed in 2002, established criteria for building schools to achieve greater accessibility for all students (Ley No. 962-LCABA-02).¹²

The City of Buenos Aires developed a specific curriculum for the Integration and Coexistence of Students with Special Education Needs in Primary and Elementary Schools initiative (Resolution No. 1141-SED-01, Appendix).¹³ This initiative stipulates that a special education teacher should work alongside other teachers with children and young people who need extra support or require an advanced program of learning in order to help them reach their full learning potential. Students diagnosed with a pervasive developmental disorder are entitled to attend school with an accompanying adult who is not a teacher, under the supervision of the school’s professional staff (Resolution No. 3773-MEGC-11).¹⁴