An earlier start for better opportunities: Bremen will make language support before school enrollment mandatory. The new "Law to Strengthen Mandatory Preschool Language Support" aims to provide children with earlier and more targeted support before deficits make starting school more difficult.
The new law passed by the Bremen Senate is the first step in a quality initiative. It aims to provide more targeted support for children before they start school. Language is crucial for successful learning and determines future opportunities. Senator for Children and Education Mark Rackles emphasizes: “Many children need reliable early support in language acquisition. Anyone who is serious about educational equity must provide children with sufficient support. We are now creating the necessary conditions for precisely that. No child should be left behind.”
The need for support remains high
The latest test results confirm the persistently high need for support: In 2025, 49.2 percent (2,740 children) of the preschool children tested in the city of Bremen and 58.5 percent (946 children) in Bremerhaven showed a need for language support. The rate of support needs is particularly high among children not attending daycare: in the city of Bremen, it was 84.8 percent (235 children) in 2025. The Primo tests administered after school enrollment also confirm a significant need for support, with around 43 percent of children reporting this need.
What are the key points of the legislative amendment?
The law establishes clear guidelines for preschool language support:
- Earlier start: The obligation to participate in language support measures generally begins at least twelve months before starting school.
- Extended start for children with limited German language skills: Children with no or very limited German language skills should be included in language support 18 months before starting school.
- Mandatory minimum scope: The obligation to provide language support stipulates a clear minimum of 20 hours per week and takes place in the daycare center.
This ensures that children receive sufficient and reliable exposure to the German language early on – especially if they have not previously attended daycare. This significantly improves their chances of a successful start to school.
The Kita bridging year remains an important instrument
In addition to legal regulations, the municipal placement of children in daycare centers—for example, through the already introduced daycare bridging year—remains an important tool. At the same time, experience shows that one year of support is often insufficient, especially for children with very limited German language skills.
Prerequisites for inclusive educational success
The amendment is the first measure in the Senator for Children and Education's quality initiative to expand effective learning time in daycare centers and schools. With the new law, Bremen is systematically strengthening the conditions for inclusive educational success: children will receive the support they need for an equal start to their schooling earlier, more intensively, and with more predictable planning. The draft amendment will be discussed in the Committee for Children and Education on June 2, 2026. Following a public consultation and voting process, the draft is scheduled to be passed in the Bremen Parliament in its first and second readings at the end of 2026. Accordingly, the new regulation will apply to children with identified language support needs starting in the 2027/28 daycare/school year.
Source: Early start for better opportunities: Language support becomes mandatory – Senate Press Office, 26.05.2026
