The Ministry of Education and Science has proposed that 15 TFB partner schools be granted innovative school status. TFB Program alumni worked through the years at five other nominated schools. The schools are located in the regions of Plovdiv, Razgrad, Sofia Municipality, Sofia Region and Stara Zagora. Approved schools are from big cities like Sofia and Plovdiv, but also from small populated areas like the village of Dolni Pasarel and the town of Galabovo.

“The inclusion of schools in the list of those proposed for innovative statuses is proof of the purposeful work of principals and their teams for a positive change both for their students and education as a whole,” Neli Koleva, Director of Public Partnerships at Teach for Bulgaria said.

The total number of schools included in the list by the Ministry of Education and Science and approved by a special Innovative School Commission is 185. The decision is to be voted by the Council of Ministers.

Innovative schools are one of the major changes in the new Pre-School and School Education Act, which came into force last August. Such status is granted to those educational establishments improving the quality of education in one of the following ways:

• — Developing and introducing innovative elements regarding the organization and/or content of the training;
• — Organizing the management, training and the learning environment in a new or improved way;
• — Using new teaching methods;
• — Developing the learning content, curricula and lesson plans in new ways.

The aim of innovative schools is to serve as a model for building a 21st century school in which students improve their performance and develop key competences. The idea is for them to share their experience and practices so that successful models can multiply in other places.

Innovative schools will have greater freedom in organizing their learning process and curriculum. This will help them tailor to a greater extent their teaching and learning to the needs of their students, and test and develop modern and inspiring learning methods.