Italy has introduced new rules that could limit the proportion of foreign students in some school classes to 30%, while requiring some parents of foreign students to attend Italian language courses. The government says the measures are designed to improve integration and prevent schools from becoming divided along ethnic and linguistic lines, but education unions have questioned whether the policy addresses the problems schools face every day.
The reform applies to specific groups of foreign students rather than all children without Italian citizenship. Under the new decree, the restrictions concern pupils who meet particular education and residency conditions. The government argues that placing students with different language backgrounds together in appropriate numbers can make it easier for schools to provide effective teaching and support.
The decision has generated debate across Italy's education sector, with critics questioning whether a numerical limit is the right response to the challenges faced by schools with large immigrant populations.
New rules target specific groups of students
The decree sets out criteria for determining which foreign students fall under the new provisions.
At the primary school level, the rules cover non Italian students who were not born in Italy and who did not receive at least two years of kindergarten education. The measure therefore focuses on children who may have had less exposure to the Italian education system before entering primary school.
The rules also apply to certain students entering secondary education. Non Italian students who have not completed at least three years of schooling in Italy can fall within the group covered by the new arrangements.
The government says the criteria are intended to identify students who may need additional language or educational support when entering a new school system. Officials argue that schools need the capacity to provide that support rather than placing large numbers of students with limited Italian language skills in the same classroom.
The decree also includes language requirements for some parents. Parents covered by the measure may be required to attend Italian language courses, linking the government's integration policy to families as well as students.
That approach reflects a broader view within the government that integration cannot depend only on what happens inside classrooms. Officials argue that stronger communication between schools and families can help children adjust to the Italian education system and participate more fully in school life.
Meloni says the aim is to prevent segregation
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has defended the measures as an effort to prevent the creation of classes made up largely of immigrant students.
Meloni said the policy is not intended to keep foreign children out of Italian schools. Instead, the government says it wants to avoid situations in which students with immigrant backgrounds become concentrated in particular classrooms while other classes contain few or no foreign students.
The distinction is central to the government's argument. Officials present the 30% figure as a way to distribute students more evenly across schools and classes, rather than as a general restriction on access to education.
The policy nevertheless raises practical questions about how schools will apply the rules. Italy has schools serving communities with very different demographic profiles, and some areas have significantly higher numbers of foreign families than others.
A fixed proportion could therefore have different effects depending on the local population. In areas with a large immigrant community, schools may face difficulties finding alternative placements for students who fall under the new criteria.
The timing of the reform has also become an issue because schools are preparing for the new academic year.
Education unions question the policy
The Italian General Union and other union organisations have criticised the new measures, arguing that they do not reflect the conditions faced by schools.
Their concerns extend beyond the question of foreign student numbers. Education unions have pointed to longstanding problems involving teacher salaries and temporary employment, arguing that these issues affect the ability of schools to provide consistent education.
Teachers working with students who have different levels of Italian language ability may need additional resources, specialist support and more time to work with individual pupils. Unions contend that simply changing class composition does not resolve those wider pressures.
The criticism also reflects concern about implementation. Schools must organise classes, allocate teachers and communicate with families before the academic year begins. Introducing a major change to enrolment and class arrangements at that stage could create additional administrative work for school staff.
School administrators may also have to determine which students fall within the decree's criteria and identify suitable alternatives when a class reaches the permitted proportion.
That process could become particularly complicated in communities where schools already operate close to capacity.
Language support remains a central issue
The language component of the reform is another point of debate.
For students arriving in Italy without substantial experience in the country's education system, language can affect classroom participation, academic progress and communication with teachers. The government argues that stronger language support can improve integration and help students participate alongside their Italian classmates.
Requiring some parents to attend Italian language courses extends that policy beyond the student. The government appears to be treating family communication as part of the integration process, particularly where parents have limited ability to communicate with schools.
Supporters of the approach could argue that parents who understand Italian are better placed to communicate with teachers, follow school requirements and support their children academically.
Critics, however, are likely to focus on how such requirements will work in practice. Families have different working schedules, financial circumstances and levels of access to transport and public services. Requiring attendance at language courses may therefore create additional obligations for parents who are already managing work and family responsibilities.
Schools face a complicated start to the academic year
The immediate challenge for Italian schools will be implementation.
A policy that changes the composition of classes requires detailed planning. School administrators need reliable information about students' educational histories, language abilities and eligibility under the new rules. They must then match students with available classes and teachers while keeping existing school structures functioning.
That is not a simple administrative adjustment.
Schools also have to deal with teacher shortages, temporary appointments and workload pressures. If the reform requires students to be moved between classes or schools, administrators could face further complications at a time when staffing and timetables are already being finalised.
The education unions' criticism therefore focuses not only on the principle of the 30% limit but also on whether schools have the resources to put it into practice.
The debate is likely to continue as families and schools begin dealing with the new rules directly.
Integration policy meets the realities of classrooms
Italy's reform reflects a wider European debate over how schools should respond to growing cultural and linguistic diversity.
Governments have to balance several concerns at once. Schools must provide equal access to education, help students learn the national language and ensure teachers can manage classrooms with different educational needs. At the same time, policies aimed at integration can create new administrative and social pressures if schools lack sufficient staff and resources.
The Italian government has chosen class composition and language support as two areas where it believes intervention can improve integration.
Education unions are asking officials to look more closely at the conditions under which teachers work and the resources available to schools. Their argument is that changing student numbers alone cannot resolve problems caused by staffing shortages, temporary employment and other structural pressures.
The difference between the two positions points to the main question surrounding the reform: whether Italy's schools will receive enough support to make the new system workable.
For families, the impact will become clearer as schools begin applying the criteria and organising classes. For teachers and administrators, the first test will be whether the new rules can be implemented without adding pressure to an already demanding school system.
Can Italy's new approach improve integration while giving schools the staff and resources needed to support every student?