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)
The official entrance age for pre-primary education in Italy is three years. Its total duration is three years, from ages three to six. According to UIS data, the net enrolment rate for pre-primary education for both sexes was 91.18% in 2023.
Governance
The Ministry of Education and Merit (MIM) is the main authority responsible for administering and financing both public and private pre-primary education. MIM directly covers teacher and staff salaries, operational and administrative costs, as well as learning environments and digital tools. The Ministry also manages European and national investments, such as PON and PNRR (resilience and recovery plans). Private pre-primary schools receive funding from MIM if they meet national educational standards, but they retain administrative autonomy and may set their own school fees.
Tuition-free status
By law (Decree N. 59 of 19 February 2004), pre-primary education is free but not compulsory.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
The central government, through the Ministry of Education and Merit, allocates resources to regions for pre-primary education via agreements established in the Conferenza Stato-Regioni (State-Regions Conference). Regions are responsible for funding services such as school meals, transport, subsidies for low-income families, and socio-health support. In some cases, regions delegate these responsibilities to local authorities (municipalities), which are in turn responsible for constructing and maintaining school buildings and providing utilities such as heating, lighting, and telephone services.
In addition to managing centrally transferred funds, some regions also finance their own targeted pre-primary education projects. For example, the Lombardy Region implements the Dote Scuola – componente Disabilità programme, which allocates regional resources directly to private accredited preschools (scuole paritarie) to support the inclusion of children with disabilities.
2. Education resources to institutions
The central government allocates resources directly to pre-primary schools, covering (a) didactic and administrative operations, (b) teacher and staff salaries, and (c) general school functions. Resource allocation from the Ministry of Education and Merit is guided by an equity component, consistent across all educational levels in Italy (as specified in Decree D.M. 834/2015). This equity formula considers factors such as the number of students, the number of school sites, the presence of students with disabilities, and other special educational needs.
3. Education resources to students and families
The Ministry of Education does not provide financial aid to vulnerable families; this responsibility is managed by municipalities (see Section 4).
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Pre-primary education in Italy is non-compulsory and free of attendance fees. Families typically contribute to transport and meal services unless exempt based on their Equivalent Economic Situation Indicator (ISEE), as outlined in Legislative Decree 65/2017, with exemption thresholds set by municipalities.
In Milan, children from families with an ISEE below €2,000, those in foster care, or experiencing hardship certified by social services, receive free meals. In Rome, students from families with an ISEE below €5,165 are eligible for free meals. In Naples, students with disabilities (ISEE ≤ €24,000) or in severe hardship (ISEE ≤ €2,500) receive full exemptions, while families with an ISEE below €500 pay a reduced fee of €0.75 per meal.
Regarding transport, public transport is free for children under 14 and for students with disabilities. School bus services are also provided free of charge to students in underserved areas or where the distance to school exceeds 2 km, with exemptions applied for families with an ISEE below €2,000, as in Milan.
