Private Elementary School of Democratic Education
City: Kosice
Postal Code: 04012
Country: Slovakia
Description
The Private Elementary School of Democratic Education, established in 2021 in Košice, Slovakia, is the country’s first and only legally recognized democratic school. It functions as a living educational model and research site for a nine-year study (2021–2030) examining the impact of self-directed education on children’s development. The school serves approximately 800 students from 270 communities across Slovakia, with a strong representation from rural areas. About 17% of students have diagnosed special educational needs, and the school also supports 40% of Slovakia’s homeschooling population.
The school operates on principles of self-directed learning, democratic governance, and inclusion. Students make decisions about their education and school life through participatory processes. Learning is individualized and non-compulsory, with adults offering guidance and oversight. Activities include outdoor, experiential learning and multi-age collaboration. A key part of the school’s mission is to provide an evidence-based model for systemic educational reform grounded in democratic values and child-centered learning.
SDE Optimizing Conditions
- Responsibility – While adults offer inspirational content and activities to children during the morning circle, students are free—and encouraged—to organise their time according to their needs. The school provides ongoing adult oversight.
- Youth Autonomy – Students have ownership of their activities. The only mandatory parts are the short morning circle and announcements in the beginning of the community meeting (if held). Younger students often play, while teenagers mostly engage in conversations.
- Access to Tools and Technology – Students have direct access to almost all tools; for certain items (e.g. knives), they inform an adult. Age restrictions on specific content are set by the community. Some activities follow a license-based system (e.g. distancing during a field-trip)
- Adult Allies – No grades/exams. Ad hoc verbal feedback + yearly written descriptions. Students are usually unaware of being monitored. Various tests are conducted only for research purposes (13x/9 years); students are informed of their right to opt out.
- Free Age Mixing – Our school community is age-mixed. All activities and facilities are available to all ages, students are free to join at any time and at any stage. Most rules apply the same way to everybody (employees, children, visitors) except legal regulations.
- Community – We hold almost daily community meetings to decide on common issues, rules, budget etc. The community has created several commissions to address specific aspects of daily life. We hold monthly meetings with families to disucuss the benefits of SDE.
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