| European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education

Since 2020, the EASIE data collection has taken place annually. Before 2020, it took place every two years. The default view below is the most recent school year available.

The data is presented in tables, focusing on different aspects of inclusive education. Unless stated otherwise in the notes, the data displayed is from the selected school year.

Click on the icon in the data tables to open a pop-up window containing the data sources and notes.

The Country Report presents the indicator tables, which are generated from the data in the data tables. The HTML versions of the Country Reports on the webpage are accessible; the PDF downloads are automatically generated and may not be fully accessible. To view the Country Report, click the 'View Country Report' button below.

In all tables, where data is not displayed, the following reasons have been given: ‘M’ for missing data, ‘NA’ where data is not applicable, and ‘NC’ where indicators cannot be calculated.

The ‘Background Information’ questionnaires are completed to give context to the data in the data tables. You can download the background information for 2016/2017 datasets as a PDF. For all other datasets, use the drop-down menu below.

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2021/2022 Data:

Table 1 All children/learners
Table 2 All children/learners with an official decision of SEN
Background Information

Question	ISCED 02			ISCED 1			ISCED 2			ISCED 3
Question	Boys:	Girls:	Total:	Boys:	Girls:	Total:	Boys:	Girls:	Total:	Boys:	Girls:	Total:
1.1 Actual population of children/learners in the typical ISCED age ranges	73,284	69,489	142,773 1.1	142,527	134,880	277,407 1.2	114,877	109,263	224,140 1.3	175,229	163,643	338,872 1.4
1.2 All children/learners enrolled in any form of recognised education	57,611	54,164	111,775 2.1	119,792	113,353	233,145 2.2	100,702	94,062	194,764 2.3	147,035	132,561	279,596 2.4
1.3 All children/learners enrolled in mainstream (pre-)schools	57,499	54,102	111,601 3.1	119,180	113,043	232,223 3.2	100,152	93,755	193,907 3.3	145,976	131,934	277,910 3.4
1.3a All children/learners educated with their peers in mainstream groups/classes for 80% or more of the time	57,268	54,002	111,270 4.1	119,178	113,043	232,221 4.2	100,151	93,755	193,906 4.3	145,936	131,918	277,854 4.4
1.3b All children/learners educated in separate groups/classes, spending less than 80% of the time with their peers in mainstream groups/classes	231	100	331 5.1	2	0	2 5.2	1	0	1 5.3	40	16	56 5.4
1.4 All children/learners educated outside of mainstream (pre-)schools	112	62	174 6.1	612	310	922 6.2	550	307	857 6.3	1,059	627	1,686 6.4
1.4a All children/learners educated in separate special (pre-)schools or units organised by the ministry of education	112	62	174 7.1	612	310	922 7.2	550	307	857 7.3	1,059	627	1,686 7.4
1.4b All children/learners educated in separate special (pre-)schools or units organised by other sectors/ministries	M	M	M 8.1	M	M	M 8.2	M	M	M 8.3	M	M	M 8.4
1.4c All children/learners educated in other recognised forms of alternative education	M	M	M 9.1	M	M	M 9.2	M	M	M 9.3	M	M	M 9.4
1.4d All children/learners educated in recognised forms of home schooling	M	M	M 10.1	M	M	M 10.2	M	M	M 10.3	M	M	M 10.4
1.5 All children/learners who should, by law, be in some form of recognised education, but who are out of any form of recognised education.	M	M	M 11.1	M	M	M 11.2	M	M	M 11.3	M	M	M 11.4

Sources and notes:

^1.1 Sources: Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works - population register
Notes: Typical ISCED 02 age range: 5-6. Data includes all Bulgarian citizens, regardless of where they live.
^1.2 Sources: Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works - population register
Notes: Typical ISCED 1 age range: 7-10. Data includes all Bulgarian citizens, regardless of where they live.
^1.3 Sources: Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works - population register
Notes: Typical ISCED 2 age range: 11-13. Data includes all Bulgarian citizens, regardless of where they live.
^1.4 Sources: Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works - population register
Notes: Typical ISCED 3 age range: 14-18. Data includes all Bulgarian citizens, regardless of where they live.
^2.1 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^2.2 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^2.3 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^2.4 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^3.1 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^3.2 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^3.3 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^3.4 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^4.1 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^4.2 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^4.3 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^4.4 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^5.1 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^5.2 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^5.3 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^5.4 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^6.1 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^6.2 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^6.3 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^6.4 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^7.1 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^7.2 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^7.3 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^7.4 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^8.1 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^8.2 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^8.3 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^8.4 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^9.1 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^9.2 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^9.3 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^9.4 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^10.1 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^10.2 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^10.3 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^10.4 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^11.1 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^11.2 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^11.3 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^11.4 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.

Question	ISCED 02			ISCED 1			ISCED 2			ISCED 3
Question	Boys:	Girls:	Total:	Boys:	Girls:	Total:	Boys:	Girls:	Total:	Boys:	Girls:	Total:
2.1 Actual population of children/learners with an official decision of SEN in the typical ISCED age ranges	M	M	M 1.1	M	M	M 1.2	M	M	M 1.3	M	M	M 1.4
2.2 All children/learners with an official decision of SEN in any recognised form of education	2,975	1,236	4,211 2.1	5,445	2,750	8,195 2.2	4,323	2,435	6,758 2.3	3,970	2,283	6,253 2.4
2.3 All children/learners with an official decision of SEN educated in mainstream (pre-)schools	2,876	1,182	4,058 3.1	4,920	2,478	7,398 3.2	3,865	2,159	6,024 3.3	3,069	1,736	4,805 3.4
2.3a All children/learners with an official decision of SEN educated with their peers in mainstream groups/classes for 80% or more of the time	2,645	1,082	3,727 4.1	4,918	2,478	7,396 4.2	3,864	2,159	6,023 4.3	3,029	1,720	4,749 4.4
2.3b All children/learners with an official decision of SEN educated in separate groups/classes, spending less than 80% of the time with their peers in mainstream groups/classes	231	100	331 5.1	2	0	2 5.2	1	0	1 5.3	40	16	56 5.4
2.4 All children/learners with an official decision of SEN educated outside of mainstream (pre-)schools	99	54	153 6.1	525	272	797 6.2	458	276	734 6.3	901	547	1,448 6.4
2.4a All children/learners with an official decision of SEN educated in separate special (pre-)schools or units organised by the ministry of education	99	54	153 7.1	525	272	797 7.2	458	276	734 7.3	901	547	1,448 7.4
2.4b All children/learners with an official decision of SEN educated in separate special (pre-)schools or units organised by other sectors/ministries	M	M	M 8.1	M	M	M 8.2	M	M	M 8.3	M	M	M 8.4
2.4c All children/learners with an official decision of SEN educated in other recognised forms of alternative education	M	M	M 9.1	M	M	M 9.2	M	M	M 9.3	M	M	M 9.4
2.4d All children/learners with an official decision of SEN educated in recognised forms of home schooling	M	M	M 10.1	M	M	M 10.2	M	M	M 10.3	M	M	M 10.4
2.5 All children/learners with an official decision of SEN who should, by law, be in some form of recognised education, but who are out of any form of recognised education	M	M	M 11.1	M	M	M 11.2	M	M	M 11.3	M	M	M 11.4

Sources and notes:

^1.1 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^1.2 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^1.3 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^1.4 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^2.1 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^2.2 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^2.3 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^2.4 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^3.1 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^3.2 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^3.3 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^3.4 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^4.1 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^4.2 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^4.3 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^4.4 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^5.1 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^5.2 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^5.3 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^5.4 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^6.1 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^6.2 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^6.3 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^6.4 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^7.1 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^7.2 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^7.3 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^7.4 Sources: National electronic information system for preschool and school education.
^8.1 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^8.2 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^8.3 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^8.4 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^9.1 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^9.2 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^9.3 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^9.4 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^10.1 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^10.2 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^10.3 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^10.4 Notes: There is no available data for such children and students.
^11.1 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^11.2 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^11.3 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.
^11.4 Notes:
There is no available data for such children and students.

Bulgaria - Country Background Information

Describing the forms of education in the country
Identifying an ‘inclusive setting’ in the country
What an ‘official decision of SEN’ means in the country
What ‘out-of-education’ means in the country

Describing the forms of education in the country

The EASIE data collection covers all recognised forms of education at ISCED levels 02, 1, 2 and 3.

This means any type of education organised by or approved by any recognised educational provider in the public or private sector: municipality, local or regional educational provider from the public or private sector, working with/for ministries responsible for education and areas such as health, social, welfare, labour, justice, etc.

What is the compulsory education age range in the country?

4–16

What are the typical age ranges for the ISCED levels?

ISCED LEVEL 02	ISCED LEVEL 1	ISCED LEVEL 2	ISCED LEVEL 3
3–6	7–10	11–13	14–18

Is private sector education covered by the data provided for the country?

Yes

Private kindergartens and schools are founded by private individuals or legal entities such as businesses, non-profit legal entities or corporations, or organisations under legislation of a member state. Private kindergartens and schools start their activities once they are registered as an institution in the pre-primary and school education system under the conditions and in the order defined by Pre-Primary and School Education Law. Private individuals or legal entities may found private schools. Private kindergartens and schools may educate and issue documents for completed pre-primary education, completed grade, stage or degree of education in accordance with the requirements of this law, as well as the legislation of other member states, provided that they have acquired permission in accordance with the legislation of the member state and that the teaching can take place within the requirements of the education system of the state which has issued the permission, and the national education standards.

The funds from the state budget for maintaining education activities for learners in private kindergartens and schools shall be determined from the budgets of the municipalities in the territory where their seat is located. With the funds received from the state budget, private kindergartens and schools finance only activities for education and socialisation of learners.

Is recognised public or private education organised by sectors other than education (i.e. health, social, welfare, labour, justice, etc.) in the data provided for the country?

Are there recognised forms of alternative education covered by the data provided for the country?

Are there recognised forms of home schooling covered by the data provided for the country?

Identifying an ‘inclusive setting’ in the country

In the EASIE data collection, an inclusive setting is operationally defined as:

A recognised form of education where the child/learner follows education in mainstream classes alongside their peers for the largest part – 80% or more – of the school week.

The 80% time placement benchmark clearly indicates that a child/learner is educated in a mainstream class for the majority of their school week. At the same time, it acknowledges possibilities for small group or one-to-one withdrawal for limited periods of time (i.e. 20% or one day a week).

Very few participating countries can provide exact data on children/learners spending 80% of their time in a mainstream group/class. However, all countries can apply one of three agreed proxies that provide an approximation to this benchmark:

Placement in a mainstream class implies over 80% or more
Data is available on the number of hours of support allocated to a child/learner
Placement in a mainstream class implies over 50% or more.

Are you able to provide actual data to verify the 80% placement benchmark?

If no, which proxy are you using

Data is available on the number of hours of support allocated to a child/learner

What an ‘official decision of SEN’ means in the country

In the EASIE data collection, the agreed operational definition is:

An official decision leads to a child/learner being recognised as eligible for additional educational support to meet their learning needs.

Countries may have different types of official decision, but for all official decisions:

There has been some form of educational assessment procedure involving different people. This procedure may involve the child/learner, parents, school-based team members, as well as professionals from multi-disciplinary teams from outside the child’s/learner’s (pre-)school.
There is some form of legal document (plan/programme, etc.) that describes the support the child/learner is eligible to receive, which is used as the basis for decision-making.
There is some form of regular review process of the child/learner’s needs, progress and support.

Please describe what an ‘official decision’ is in the country.

An official decision leads to a child/learner being recognised as eligible for additional educational support to meet their learning needs.

There has been an educational assessment procedure involving a multi-disciplinary team
The multi-disciplinary team includes members from within and external to the child’s/learner’s (pre-)school
There is a legal document which describes the support the child/learner is eligible to receive and which is used as the basis for planning
The official decision is subject to a formal, regular review process.

What educational assessment procedures are carried out and who is involved?

Additional support is provided for children and learners with SEN based on an assessment of their personal needs carried out by a personal development support team. The team is formed where the child or learner is taught – whether in a kindergarten or school. The type and forms of education, as well as the particular activities for additional support for personal development, are defined with a plan of support for the child or learner. This plan also defines the classes for resource support. Additional support for personal development is provided by kindergartens, schools, personal development support centres and specialised service units. The additional support for personal development includes:

working with a child or learner on a particular case;
psycho-social rehabilitation, speech and hearing rehabilitation, visual rehabilitation, rehabilitation in the case of communicative disturbances and physical disabilities;
provision of accessible architectural, general and specialised supportive environments, technology and specialised equipment, didactic materials, methodology and specialists;
provision of special subject education for children/learners with sensory disabilities;
resource support.

Additional support for personal development is provided to children and learners who:

have special educational needs (due to sensory disabilities, physical disabilities, multiple disabilities, intellectual difficulties, speech impediments, specific learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, emotional and behavioural disorders);
are at risk;
have notable gifts;
have a chronic illness.

The personal development support team in a kindergarten or school:

identifies the child’s/learner’s strengths, difficulties with development, education and behaviour, as well as the reasons for them;
assesses the child’s/learner’s personal needs;
prepares and carries out a plan for support;
observes and assesses the development of each individual case, etc.

The team responsible for the personal development of a child/learner always includes a psychologist or a pedagogical counsellor, as well as a speech therapist. These are employed by the kindergarten or school or provided by another institution. The team may include other specialists and representatives of the child protection authorities or organisations dealing with anti-social behaviour in minors. Personal development support teams work together with parents or, if relevant, with regional support centres for inclusive education and/or support centres for personal development.

What legal documents (plans, programmes, etc.) that describe the support a child/learner is eligible to receive are linked to an official decision?

The Pre-Primary and School Education Law regulates the support for learners’ personal development and the institutions in the pre-primary and school education system which provide that support.

The Ordinance on Inclusive Education regulates the terms and conditions for providing support for personal development (general and additional) to children and learners in the pre-school and school education system, as well as the activities of institutions in the system regarding providing support for learners’ personal development.

What formal, regular review processes of a child/learner’s needs, progress and support are linked to an official decision?

The additional support defined by the personal development support teams is subject to confirmation by regional personal development support teams for children and learners with SEN. Each of the 28 regional centres for supporting the process of inclusive education (which are national specialised units of the Ministry of Education and Science) has a regional team of specialists, consisting of resource teachers (special pedagogues), psychologists, speech therapists, etc. After the personal development support team assesses the individual needs of the child or learner in the kindergarten or school, the regional team confirms whether the additional support identified by the personal development support team should be provided, how it will be provided and by what specialists.

What ‘out-of-education’ means in the country

Within the EASIE data collection, specific questions examine children/learners who are out of education. This means children/learners who should, by law, be in some form of recognised education, but who are out of any form of recognised education. A recognised form of education is any type of education organised by or approved by any recognised educational provider in the public or private sector.

Is there a formal definition of ‘out-of-education’ in the country?

Yes

The official definition under the Pre-school and School Education Act is ‘dropping out of school’. This is the dropping out of school of a learner up to 18 years of age on the grounds of Art. 173, paragraph 2, points 2 and 3 of the Pre-school and School Education Act before the completion of the last high school class, if the learner is not enrolled in another school.

Please describe which learners are considered ‘out-of-education’ in the country

According to Art. 173, paragraph 2, points 2 and 3, these are:

Learners who have studied in full-time, part-time or combined form of education and have not attended school for disrespectful reasons for a period longer than two months;
Learners who study in independent, individual or distance form of education and have not appeared to take the relevant exams in three consecutive sessions.

2021/2022 Data:

Bulgaria - Country Background Information

What are the typical age ranges for the ISCED levels?

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