Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
In France, the official entry age for pre-primary education is 3 years old, with three years of free and compulsory pre-primary education established by law. Between 2000 and 2022, the net enrolment rate for pre-primary education remained consistently high, starting at 96.62% and rising to around 99.63% by 2022.
Governance
According to the Code de l’éducation, as amended by Law No. 2019-791 of July 26, 2019 – Article 14, public education provided in pre-primary schools (écoles maternelles) in France is free of charge. Pre-primary education is the responsibility of the Ministry of National Education. Financing of pre-primary education is primarily shared between the State and local authorities: the State, through the Ministry of National Education, funds teachers' salaries and national education policies, while municipalities finance school buildings, non-teaching staff, and daily operations.
Tuition-free status
Public pre-primary education in France is tuition-free according to national laws and policies, as stipulated in Article L132-1 of the Code de l'éducation: "L'enseignement public dispensé dans les écoles maternelles et élémentaires est gratuit," covering écoles maternelles (ages 3-6, petite, moyenne, and grande sections) nationwide since the 1881 loi Ferry extended by 2019 reforms making schooling obligatory from age 3.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
The funding of public pre-primary education is a shared responsibility between the central government (the State) and local governments, primarily municipalities. The central government covers teacher salaries and provides funding via structured budget programmes defined by the 2006 Organic Law on Finance Laws (LOLF), which ensures transparency and performance-based budgeting. Local municipalities are legally responsible for the construction, maintenance, and operation of public pre-primary schools, including funding for non-teaching staff and school meals. As the schools themselves do not have legal or financial autonomy, these expenditures are managed directly by municipalities, in accordance with Article L214-4 of the Education Code.
2. Education resources to institutions
Funding for public pre-primary schools is provided by multiple sources, notably the State and municipalities. In addition, limited complementary resources may come from local education funds (caisses des écoles), where they exist, and from voluntary parental contributions, often channelled through school cooperatives, which finance ancillary activities but not core educational provision.
Private pre-primary institutions can be subsidised by the state if they have a contract of association (contrat d’association) with the government, as established in Articles L442-5 to L442-11 of the Education Code. Under this contract, the State covers teachers’ salaries and contributes to operating costs, provided the schools follow the national curriculum and are subject to the same inspections as public schools. In contrast, private schools without a contract do not receive state subsidies and rely entirely on parental fees for all expenses
France has a long-standing "priority education" policy (éducation prioritaire) that allocates additional resources—both personnel and financial—to schools in disadvantaged areas, including pre-primary institutions. These areas are organised into Priority Education Networks (REP and REP+), which receive increased staffing, financial credits, and special support measures to address concentrated social difficulties. Schools in these networks often enrol higher proportions of newly arrived allophone pupils or children from non-sedentary background, whose specific needs are primarily addressed through the support of CASNAVs, the regional academic centres responsible for coordinating reception, assessment, and language support, including at the pre-primary level.
The law Pour une école de la confiance (2019) also reinforced the role of pre-primary education in addressing early inequalities. In this context, the State covers expenses related to the schooling of learners with disabilities at the pre-primary level, including the salaries of specialised teachers, the cost of individual or collective school assistants, and certain expenses linked to reception and support, such as adapted teaching materials.
3. Education resources to students and families
There is no direct financial support provided by the Ministry of National Education specifically for parents or families to access pre-primary education. Public pre-primary education is free and universal from age three, so families do not pay tuition or enrollment fees. General financial assistance programmes (such as the Allocation de Rentrée Scolaire administered by the social security system) are only available starting at age six (elementary school), not for pre-primary students.
In practice, students attending public schools under contract and their families should receive the same financial aid and grants as those in regular public schools. Students in private schools without a contract can get public grants and scholarships only if their school is approved by the Rector of the académie.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
The Early Childhood Benefit Programme (PAJE) is designed to cover expenses related to the care and education of a child under 3 years old, according to Articles L. 531-1 and following of the Social Security Code. It includes the basic allowance, the shared parental education benefit, and the additional allowance for choosing a childcare option. Foreign nationals must live legally in France to receive family benefits. PAJE is a family benefit within the French social security system.
The education allowance for learners with disabilities (AEEH) aims to help cover the education and care expenses of a child under 20 with disabilities. The allowance is paid to the person responsible for the child. The amount of the AEEH is €149.26 per month. The main provider is the Caisse d’Allocations Familiales (CAF).
Some local authorities (municipalities or départements) may provide additional grants or subsidies, but these vary widely by location and are not guaranteed or standardised. For example, some municipalities offer means-tested grants or support for school transport or meals, which can indirectly support families in rural areas.
This profile was reviewed by Léonard Moulin, Researcher at Ined.
