Sweden school investment 2026 will allocate SEK 4.3 billion (€394 million) to improve school quality, tackle the reading crisis and strengthen student well‑being, the government announced in Stockholm. The plan forms part of a SEK 14 billion (€1.28 billion) package over three years and includes a new curriculum, a reformed teacher‑education track, an updated grading system and targeted funds for school books and libraries.
New curriculum and grading reform
The government will task the National Agency for Education (Skolverket) to implement new curricula focused on core knowledge and age‑appropriate learning. Work on an updated grading system will proceed, with the announced removal of grade F and the introduction of a new 1–10 scale where levels 1–3 indicate performance below acceptable standards.
The change is planned to apply from 1 July 2028. Initial appropriations for curriculum and grading work total SEK 820 million (€75 million) in 2026.
Order and safety: more tools for teachers
To address disruption and disorder in classrooms, the government intends to enact proposals from the inquiry Bättre förutsättningar för studiero och trygghet i skolan, giving teachers broader powers to order detention, temporarily remove disruptive pupils and strengthen documentation of incidents.
The rules are planned to enter into force in autumn 2026. In parallel, the previously announced nationwide mobile‑phone ban in compulsory schools will take effect from the 2026 school start, with limited exemptions set by principals.
Teacher pipeline: training and regulated teaching time
Measures include a reformed teacher education, higher entry requirements and extended work‑integrated pathways (AIL) through 2032 (SEK 31 million (€2.8 million) annually from 2027). The government also phases in regulated teaching time to secure planning hours: SEK 1.3 billion (€119 million) in 2027, rising to SEK 2.5 billion (€229 million) annually from 2028.
Tackling the reading crisis: books and libraries
To boost basic skills, the budget sets aside SEK 0.5 billion (€44 million) for school books in 2026—estimated to provide about 2.4 million new volumes per year. Support for public libraries will be extended and increased by SEK 40 million (€3.7 million) annually in 2026–2028, with SEK 80 million (€7.3 million) earmarked in 2026 for reading‑promotion targeting children and youth.
Student health reinforced
Responding to rising mental and physical ill‑health among pupils, student health services will receive SEK 200 million (€18.3 million) in 2026, with the same level projected for 2027 and 2028, to recruit additional medical and psychological staff and expand preventive services on campus.
Budget context and next steps
The SEK 4.3 billion (€394 million) allocation for 2026 is the first tranche of the three‑year plan. Several reforms—such as the grading system and regulated teaching time—will roll out later and require implementing ordinances and, in some cases, parliamentary approval.
Municipalities and independent providers will be expected to align local spending with national priorities, according to the Minister for Education and Integration (Utbildnings‑ och integrationsministern) Simona Mohamsson (L). The package also involves the Minister for Culture (Kulturministern) Parisa Liljestrand (M) on reading policy and the Minister for Social Affairs (Socialministern) Jakob Forssmed (KD) on student health.
