Austria to Fine Parents Up to €1,000 for Failing School Cooperation Duties

The Austrian Ministry of Education is set to introduce stricter measures, including administrative fines ranging from €150 to €1,000, for parents who fail to cooperate with their children’s schools. The move, announced by Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr, aims to promote educational fairness (Chancengerechtigkeit) and provide stronger support for teachers.

The new regulations, currently part of a draft law under review, clearly define parents’ mandatory cooperation duties (Mitwirkungspflichten) for the first time. Parents will now be legally obliged to participate in several key school meetings and initiatives deemed essential for their child's educational success. Non-compliance with these new requirements constitutes a serious breach of duty and can trigger the penalties.

The new provisions will apply in situations such as school suspensions, risk of dropping out, or compulsory attendance at summer schools. Additionally, from next year, attendance at summer school will become mandatory for students with insufficient German language skills. Unexcused absences will be considered a breach of school attendance duties and could result in fines of up to €1,000.

Crucially, the Ministry stressed that the fines can be imposed multiple times, meaning parents cannot "buy their way out" by paying a one-time fee.

Education Minister Christoph Wiederkehr emphasized the importance of parental engagement, stating that cooperation is decisive for a child's educational outcome. "With this new package of measures, we not only want to strengthen equal opportunities but also relieve the burden on teaching staff," Wiederkehr explained. "Parents who permanently refuse the educational partnership will be held more accountable through the new regulations."

The fines are part of a broader legislative proposal, which also includes regulations related to the headscarf ban, and the penalties will apply to violations of both sets of new rules.