Spanish Education Laws: Specialized Education and Sports

Posted on Dec 12, 2024 in Physical Education

Organic Law 1/1990 of October 3: General Organization of the Education System (LOGSE)

Article 3.4. The Government, in consultation with the Autonomous Communities, may establish new specialized education if the evolution of social demand or educational needs advise it.

Note: The second title, “The Teachings of the Special Regime,” applies in the first chapter to arts education and in the second chapter to the teaching of languages. At no time does it refer to sports schools.

Organic Law 10/2002 of December 23: Quality of Education (LOCE)

Article 7.3. The special training courses are: Art Education, Languages, and Sports Lessons.

Note: Article 65 does not include sports schools (it does include Language and Arts schools).

Organic Law 2/2006 of May 3: On Education (LOE)

Article 3.2. The lessons offered by the educational system are: … h) Sports education.

4. Secondary education is divided into ESO (Compulsory Secondary Education) and Baccalaureate. Baccalaureate constitutes upper secondary education, as does vocational training (middle-level), vocational education in art and design (intermediate level), and intermediate-level sports education.

5. University education, higher artistic education, higher-level vocational training, vocational education in art and design (higher level), and higher-level sports education constitute higher education.

6. Language education, arts education, and sports education will be considered specialized education.

Sports Lessons

Article 63. General Principles:

  1. Sports education aims to prepare students for work in relation to a form of exercise and facilitate their adaptation to the changing world of work and sports and active citizenship.
  2. Sports lessons help students acquire the skills that allow: a) developing general competence corresponding to the profile of the respective studies.

Article 64. Organization:

  1. Sports education is organized into two levels, intermediate and higher level, and may be referred to in the National Catalogue of Professional Qualifications.
  2. To access the intermediate level, a Certificate in ESO will be required. To access the higher grade, a Bachelor’s degree and a Técnico Deportivo degree in the corresponding category or specialty will be required. In the case of certain procedures and specialties, it will also be necessary to pass a test conducted by the education authorities or prove a sporting merit, which shows that the student has the necessary conditions for a successful course in the appropriate lessons.
  3. Also open to the middle and upper grades of these teachings are those applicants who, lacking the ESO or Bachelor’s degree, pass an entrance examination regulated by the Education Administrations. To access via the intermediate level, applicants are required to be 17 years old, and 19 for access to the higher grade, completed in the year of completion of the test, or 18 if it is shown that they are in possession of a related technical degree to the one they wish to access.
  4. The tests referred to in the preceding paragraph shall certify, for the middle level, the knowledge and skills to take advantage of these teachings and, for the higher grade, maturity in relation to the objectives of high school. In both cases, the requirement will also be passing the test or sporting merit accreditation referred to in paragraph 2 of this article.
  5. Sports education is organized into blocks and modules of varying duration, consisting of areas of theoretical and practical knowledge appropriate to the various professional fields.
  6. The Government, after consultation with the Autonomous Communities, will establish the qualifications for sports education studies, the basic aspects of the curriculum of each, and the minimum requirements of schools that may provide the respective lessons.

Article 65. Qualifications and Validations:

  1. Those who exceed the average sports education will receive a Técnico Deportivo degree in the corresponding category or specialty.
  2. Students who pass the top-grade sports education will receive a Superior Técnico Deportivo degree in the corresponding form of sport or specialty.
  3. The Superior Técnico Deportivo degree will allow access to university studies to be determined.
  4. The Government, after consultation with the Autonomous Communities and hearing the Coordination Council, will regulate the system of validation between university studies and studies in higher education.

Article 98. Sports Education Teacher:

  1. For a career in sports education, it will be necessary to hold a Graduate, Engineer, or Architect degree, or a relevant graduate degree or equivalent qualification for teaching purposes. It will also require the necessary pedagogical and didactic training referred to in Article 100 of this Act. The Government may establish other qualifications for teaching in other blocks in certain modules after consultation with the Autonomous Communities.
  2. Exceptionally, for certain materials, the educational authorities may incorporate specialist teachers, depending on their qualifications and the needs of the education system. These professionals do not necessarily need to be graduates but must develop their activity in sports and labor. This incorporation will be in labor or administrative arrangements, in accordance with the applicable rules.