Education and Training Board May 19, 2026
19. toukokuuta 2026 17:11
1.4 million euro budget deficit requires additional funding
The Education and Training Board proposes to the municipal board a total of 1.4 million euros in additional appropriations for 2026. An additional 610,000 euros is needed for personnel expenses, when the budget already had a 1.08 million euro deficit in the initial situation.
Early childhood education service voucher exceeded budget by 550,000 euros
Service voucher costs rose higher than expected. The situation is worsened by the increase in the coefficient for children under 3 years to 1.58 starting from August 2026, which will increase costs by an additional 50,000 euros.
Dispute over number of schools - review proposal failed
Board member Henri Lindholm proposed a service network review regarding the number of schools, but the proposal failed by a vote of 9-2. Only Riina Kivistö supported the proposal. The background is a decrease in student numbers.
Learning support resources growing - special education class places increasing
Municipal special education class solutions are being strengthened from 275 to 323 annual weekly hours. There are a total of 104 special education class places. Resource allocation emphasizes group-based support and preventive pedagogical support.
PiiPoo cooperation ends in autumn
The cooperation agreement with Cultural Center PiiPoo ends in September 2026. The meeting discussed the results of family daycare trials and feedback from the schools' Kulttuurirappuset program.
Agenda
The board approved the education and teaching service area report for the first quarter of 2026 as part of the municipality's interim report. The meeting voted on board member Henri Lindholm's proposal to add a mention of a possible service network review regarding the number of schools to the text. The proposal was defeated by a vote of 9-2, so the original report was approved as is. The report will be forwarded to the municipal board and council for consideration in June.
Kasvatus- ja opetuslautakunnan ilmoitusasiat
The Director of Education and Culture presented several current issues to the board, such as the status of PiiPoo cooperation and the situation regarding early childhood education places. The Cultural Center PiiPoo contract ends in September 2026, and the meeting addressed family daycare pilot programs as well as feedback on the schools' Kulttuurirappuset program. The board will receive a report in December on whether the current rotating childcare workers in early childhood education are sufficient for current needs. Additionally, the situation regarding food services, morning and afternoon activities, and the implementation of the education and culture sector budget were reviewed.
The Education and Training Committee approved the agenda and order of proceedings of its meeting as presented. This is a standard procedure at the beginning of each meeting to ensure that all planned matters are addressed in the agreed order.
The Education and Training Board was informed of the education administration's official decisions from the period 16.4.–12.5.2026. The board did not take any of the decisions for separate consideration, which means they remain in effect as they are. The official decisions concern routine administrative and personnel matters of schools and early childhood education.
Pöytäkirjan tarkastajat
The board proposes an additional appropriation of 610,000 euros for personnel costs, as the original budget is insufficient for organizing education and training services. In addition, early childhood education service voucher costs exceed the budget by approximately 500,000 euros, and the increase in the care coefficient for children under 3 years old adds another 50,000 euros in expenses. The billing method for meal services in schools and daycare centers will be changed with the introduction of digital payment instruments, which will improve cost monitoring but will not affect service delivery. The decision will next go to the municipal board and municipal council for approval.
Kokouksen laillisuus ja päätösvaltaisuus
The board decided on the distribution of teaching resources for learning support to schools for the academic year 2026–2027. The decision is based on new legislation that emphasizes providing learning support primarily in the student's own classroom. The municipality's learning support has been implemented well – group-based support is provided at 0.194 annual lesson hours per student, which clearly exceeds the legal minimum level of 0.122. Staff continue to be trained in the use of new operating models, and decision-making processes will be refined as the transition period ends at the end of July.
According to a decision by the Regional State Administrative Agency, teaching of students' emotional and interaction skills must be developed, and for this purpose a "homeroom class" for 7th graders was also planned in Lempäälä. This would have been one weekly lesson to support group formation, interaction skills and school wellbeing, especially during the transition phase to upper comprehensive school. However, the Education and Teaching Board decided in its meeting to return the matter for further preparation. The matter will therefore be decided again later.