National Conference of German Free Alternative Schools in Dresden: A Briefing

In Germany there are very few options for children to live and learn without taking part in the program of the state school system. One of them is the sector of the Free Alternative Schools (FAS). These are schools that follow a set of principles centering around the idea of self-regulated learning experiences and democratic organisational structures. The first FAS were established in West-Germany at the start of the 1970's, often against strong resistance from the state. Since then there has been an increase in numbers and by 2014 there are 90 FAS organised in a national federation (BFAS). The schools all subscribe to eight theses: ...