Ordinance on the Act on Gymnasial Education (GymBV) - Locations of the Cantonal Schools (GymBV)

1. The Canton operates high schools at the following locations

a. Cantonal School Beromünster: Long-term Gymnasium

b. Cantonal School Alpenquai, Lucerne: Long-term Gymnasium / Sports and Music Gymnasium

c. Cantonal School Musegg, Lucerne: Short-term Gymnasium

d. Cantonal School Reussbühl, Lucerne: Long-term Gymnasium / Short-term Gymnasium / Maturity School for Adults

e. Cantonal School Schüpfheim: Short-term Gymnasium / Gymnasium Plus

f. Cantonal School Seetal, Baldegg: Long-term Gymnasium / Short-term Gymnasium

g. Cantonal School Sursee: Long-term Gymnasium / Short-term Gymnasium

h. Cantonal School Willisau: Long-term Gymnasium / Short-term Gymnasium

2. The Office of Gymnasium Education assigns the school location. Students transitioning from primary school to the gymnasium may specify their preferred school location. A school transfer is possible in connection with the choice of a major subject if the desired major subject is not offered at the attended school.

3. ...

4. The individual Cantonal Schools are divisions of the Office of Gymnasium Education.

1. Long-term Gymnasium, Short-term Gymnasium, and Maturity Schools for Adults lead to the Swiss-recognized Maturity Certificate.

2. The maturity examinations are conducted according to the Regulation on Maturity Examinations in the Canton of Lucerne dated April 15, 2008.

1. The government council establishes the framework guidelines for the weekly timetable and the curricula.

2. It issues a weekly timetable and a curriculum for each school.

3. The weekly timetable includes the annual hour allocation for core subjects, additional subjects, specialized subjects, supplementary subjects, any integration subjects, the graduation project, and pool hours.

1. Core subjects include German, French or Italian, English or Latin or Greek, Mathematics, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, Philosophy, Visual Arts and/or Music.

2. Supplementary subjects include Economics and Law, Computer Science and ICT, Informatics, Physical Education, Religious Studies and Ethics, Science and Technology, Technical Design, Home Economics, the class hour, as well as other internal school subjects that have been approved within the framework of the weekly schedule.

1. The Office of Secondary Education establishes the core and supplementary subjects for each school upon the application of each school's administration.

2. By choosing the core and supplementary subject, students give their education at the Gymnasium its educational emphasis. A change of the core and/or supplementary subject is possible in exceptional cases based on a substantiated request.

1. Integration subjects are areas of study that are not offered as a standalone subject but are integrated into one or more subjects.

2. Pool hours are time slots within the weekly schedule that are not assigned to a specific subject.

1. Optional subjects may be offered in addition to the mandatory subjects.

2. The school administration decides which subjects are offered and from which grade they can be attended.

3. When determining the offerings, the school's financial and spatial capabilities and the needs of the learners are taken into account.

4. Generally, with the exception of instrumental lessons, learners may only enroll in optional subjects if they have achieved an average of at least 4.2 in the last report card according to § 34. The school administration decides on exceptions.

5. The assessment of performance in optional subjects may be listed on the report card.

1. For students with music as a high school subject (basic subject, major subject, or supplementary subject), instruction in an instrument or solo singing is mandatory. Additionally, these students are required to participate in an ensemble, choir, or orchestra of the high schools corresponding to their level of education. The school administration may recognize participation in a music school ensemble as fulfilling the ensemble participation requirement.

2. The school administration may exempt students from instrumental or vocal instruction upon a justified request.

3. Instrumental or solo vocal instruction is generally undertaken at the municipal music school located at the high school site.

4. Individual lessons typically last 40 minutes. The tuition fee amounts to 1,030 Swiss Francs per school year after completing compulsory schooling.

1. The class sizes must be at least 14 students and no more than 24 students.

2. The Department of Secondary Education may grant exceptions.

1. The Office of Secondary Education is the competent authority according to § 26a of the Act on Secondary Education dated 12 February 2001.

1. The Government Council shall appoint a school commission for each cantonal school, consisting of at least five members, for a term of office of four years. It shall designate the President. Otherwise, the commission shall constitute and organize itself.

2. The Department of Education and Culture shall prepare a requirements profile for the members of the school commission.

3. As a rule, the school administration and, if so directed by the school commission, a representative of the teaching staff shall participate in the meetings of the school commission in an advisory capacity.

1. The School Commission

a. * reviews the implementation of measures from the cantonal strategy, the achievement of the school's annual goals, and the implementation of quality assurance and development measures at the school,

abis. * acknowledges the annual report of the school management,

b. ensures, in collaboration with the school management and within the framework of the cantonal secondary school policy, that the school is anchored in the region,

c. * collaborates with the school management and the Directorate of Gymnasium Education and is regularly informed by them about the offerings, organization, school operations, and overarching educational topics,

d. maintains contact with the teaching staff,

e. establishes its own bylaws.

2. The remuneration for commission activities is determined according to the Salary Ordinance for State Personnel dated September 24, 2002[6].

1. New members are introduced to their duties by the Office of Gymnasial Education.

2. The Office of Gymnasial Education ensures that there is a needs-based continuing education program available for school commission members.

1. The Chairpersons of the School Commissions form the Presidents' Conference.

2. This advises the Department of Education and Culture and the Office of Secondary Education on matters of strategy concerning cantonal secondary school policy.

3. It further serves to provide information, exchange experiences, and coordinate on gymnasium-related matters.

4. The Presidents' Conference is led by the Office of Secondary Education.

1. The School Administration

a. decides within the framework of the unification procedure on the transition from primary school to grammar school,

b. decides on the admission of out-of-canton students, students from non-grammar middle schools, and private schools, as well as guests and visiting students,

c. decides on applications for a change of a core or elective subject,

d. decides on the provision of support programs,

e. decides on all other questions of the offer, organization, and operation, insofar as the decision-making competence is not assigned to another body.

1. The School Conference consists of all teaching staff at the school.

2. It advises the school administration on the pedagogical and operational management, leadership, and development of the school.

1. The class conference consists of all the subject teachers of a class.

2. It determines the report card entries and decides on the promotion of the students.

1. Admission to a grammar school is possible at the start of a school year.

2. During a school year, students are only admitted if there are special reasons.

1. Admission to a long-term or short-term gymnasium is governed by the provisions of the Ordinance on Transition Procedures in Primary Schools dated May 15, 2007.

2. Transition from secondary school to the 2nd or 3rd class of a long-term gymnasium is possible in justified cases. The school administration decides based on an admission interview and the available certificates. It may order an entrance examination and/or a school psychological aptitude assessment.

1. A student who transfers from one grammar school of the Canton of Lucerne to the same educational program of another grammar school within the Canton of Lucerne retains their previous promotion status.

2. The transfer from a long-term grammar school to a short-term grammar school within the Canton of Lucerne is possible in justified cases. The prerequisite in all cases is promotion at the current school. The school administration decides on the admission.

3. Admission of students from non-grammar middle schools, out-of-canton grammar schools, and private schools is possible. The school administration decides based on an admission interview and the available certificates. It may order an entrance examination and/or a school psychological suitability assessment.

1. Admission according to § 19 paragraph 3 is provisional.

2. At the end of the school year, the class conference decides on promotion or dismissal. In justified cases, transfer to a lower class is possible if there is a school psychological recommendation for it.

3. Definitive admission is granted to those who meet the promotion requirements according to § 33 or § 33a.

4. In the case of entry in the second semester, the class conference may extend the probationary period by one year if there is a reasonable prospect that the student will acquire the missing knowledge.

1. As guests for up to one year, the following may be admitted to secondary schools

a. Students who generally meet the requirements for entry into a particular class but have not yet reached the standard of the class in certain subjects,

b. Foreign-language students who, due to language difficulties, are unable to attend the entire curriculum,

c. Students who, for health reasons, are temporarily unable to attend all subjects,

d. Students who wish to attend a secondary school as part of a student exchange program.

2. Students who have failed the entrance examination or were rejected during a regular admission process cannot be admitted as guests.

3. The school administration decides on the admission and any potential expulsions of guests.

4. The school administration may admit guests as regular students, provided they meet the promotion conditions according to § 33 or § 33a.

1. The school administration may permit candidates who demonstrate a justified interest and sufficient prior knowledge to attend individual subjects in classes of the upper secondary level of the long-term gymnasium as well as in classes of the short-term gymnasium.

1. For admission to the preliminary course, the following requirements must be met

a. * Completion of the eighteenth year of age no later than December 31 before entry,

b. completed vocational training or at least three years of professional experience or work in the household.

2. ...

3. The school administration may conduct an interview with the interested parties regarding admission if necessary.

1. For the definitive admission to the first semester, the following requirements must be fulfilled

a. Attendance of the preliminary course,

b. An average grade of at least 4.3 in the subjects of the preliminary course with at most one deficiency point.

2. The decision regarding admission is made by the class conference.

1. Admission without a preparatory course is possible at the beginning of each semester up to the third semester, provided the prerequisites according to § 23 are met.

2. The specialized teachers and the school administration determine the admission requirements according to the prior knowledge of the applicants.

3. The school administration decides on admission based on an individual assessment.

1. Learners receive a report card at the end of each semester.

2. The report card includes performance grades, any learning reports, the assessment of work behavior and community behavior, absences, as well as resolutions and any remarks from the class conference.

3. The decisive factor for promotion is the report card at the end of each school year. The report card at the end of the first semester of each school year is only informative in nature.

4. In promotion subjects, the grades in the annual report card count as annual grades, regardless of whether they were taught for a semester or a year.

1. At the end of the preparatory course as well as at the end of the second, fourth, and sixth semesters, the students receive a certificate.

2. The certificate includes the performance grades, any learning reports, as well as resolutions and any remarks from the class conference.

3. At the end of the first, third, and fifth semesters, an interim report is prepared by the students and the teachers.

1. Performance evaluation is guided by the curricula and the learning objectives.

2. The performance is evaluated with the following whole grades and the intermediate half grades

6: very good

5: good

4: satisfactory

3: insufficient

2: weak

1: very weak

3. The difference between grade 4 and lower values results in whole and half deficiency points.

4. The difference between grade 4 and higher values results in whole and half bonus points.

5. The evaluation of performance through grades can be supplemented by a learning report. The school administration decides on the supplementation of grades with learning reports.

1. The Work Conduct and Conduct in the Community are assessed with the following grades

Grade I: Good

Grade II: Poor

Grade III: Unsatisfactory

1. The report card grades are awarded by the subject teachers based on the learning assessments.

2. The report card grades at long-term and short-term high schools are composed of the evaluation of at least two written or equivalently documented works per semester. The school administration may provide exceptions.

3. The report card grades at the adult matriculation school are composed of at least four individual grades, and in the preparatory course, of at least two individual grades.

4. If important reasons such as illness, accident, or justified absence for an extended period exist, the school administration may partially or entirely forgo grading.

1. If the academic advancement of students at a long-term or short-term gymnasium is at risk, or their behavior is unsatisfactory, the school may issue oral or written interim reports during the school year.

1. Subjects for Promotion are

a. The foundational subjects listed in the weekly timetable as well as the core and supplementary subjects,

b. All additional subjects with the exception of the homeroom period.

1. At long-term and short-term secondary schools, the class conference decides at the end of the school year on the promotion of students to the next school year.

2. In cases of school year-overlapping absences, the class conference decides on the promotion after the students return, based on the grades from the two partial school years.

3. Students are promoted if their annual report card

a. shows an average according to § 34 paragraph 1 of at least 4.00 and, in the promotion subjects according to § 34 paragraph 2, no more than one and a half deficiency points or

b. shows an average of at least 4.30 and no more than two deficiency points.

4. Exceptions can be made to the provisions concerning the effect of individual grades if serious health disturbances or other compelling reasons allow inadequate performance in individual subjects to be assessed more leniently.

1. At the School of Maturity for Adults, the class conference decides at the end of the second and fourth semesters on the promotion of students to the next school year.

2. Students are promoted if, in their annual report, the double sum of their demerit points is not greater than the single sum of their merit points.

3. Exceptions can be made to the provisions concerning the effect of individual grades if serious health impairments or other valid reasons cause insufficient performance in individual subjects to be assessed more leniently.

4. Promotion and admission to the final examinations can be denied to students if they have not attended at least 85 percent of the classroom instruction and 85 percent of the instructional hours in the individual subjects.

1. All promotion subjects according to § 32 are included in the calculation of the average in the report card.

2. For the calculation of deficiency points, all promotion subjects according to § 32 are included except for Technical Design and Home Economics.

1. Students who do not meet the promotion requirements must repeat the school year.

2. As a rule, students are allowed to repeat a school year only once. A second repetition is only possible if there is a recommendation from a school psychologist.

3. Repeating the first school year at long-term and short-term high schools is generally not possible.

4. The same school year can only be repeated once.

5. Paragraphs 2 and 4 do not apply to students who have not passed the maturity examination.

6. At the adult maturity school, the preparatory course and an additional school year can be repeated.

1. Teaching materials such as books and copies, which are necessary to achieve the learning objectives during compulsory schooling, are provided free of charge.

2. For teaching materials in post-compulsory schooling, the students themselves bear the costs. If a teaching material covers content from both the compulsory and post-compulsory school periods, students shall bear the costs for the post-compulsory part. If students leave the cantonal school before or upon completion of the compulsory schooling period, they will be reimbursed the costs for the post-compulsory part upon returning the teaching material.

3. Students bear the costs for school supplies themselves. The Office of Gymnasial Education establishes a maximum amount.

1. Learners are required to take the examinations assigned by the educators.

2. Learners who engage in irregularities may be subject to disciplinary action.

1. Students of a school or a department may form an organization.

2. The relationship between the organization and the school administration is to be governed by statutes. These statutes must be approved by the school commission.

1. The school administration may grant leave to students upon receiving a well-founded request.

2. The school administration regulates the details in guidelines.

1. The school administration can exempt students from attending individual subjects upon a justified request.

2. The school administration sets forth the details in guidelines.

1. Students who have been absent from class without having previously obtained leave or exemption must provide a written excuse subsequently. The school administration shall regulate the details in guidelines.

2. Students who are absent from class without justification may be subject to disciplinary action.

3. Absences at long-term and short-term grammar schools are settled at the end of each semester and are reported in the annual report on a semester basis.

**1. Students who fail to meet their payment obligations despite reminders may be expelled from the Maturity School for Adults.**

1. Withdrawals from school must be communicated to the school administration in writing.

2. Students who withdraw or must withdraw during compulsory schooling are required to fulfill their schooling obligation at another school.

1. In both long-term and short-term secondary schools, swimming and bathing within the school context, particularly during swimming lessons, on school trips, excursions, and events of any kind, must be supervised by at least one adult who holds a lifesaving certificate from the Swiss Lifesaving Society (SLRG), with the last renewal of this certificate completed in a continuing education course not more than four years ago.

1. The school administration is responsible for operational safety within the school premises during school hours.

2. ...

3. ...

1. Legal guardians have the right to obtain information about the academic performance and behavior of their minor child.

2. On official visiting days, legal guardians and other interested parties may observe the school operations. Visits to the school outside of visiting days are possible by prior arrangement with the school administration.

3. Legal guardians may discuss school problems, educational issues, and the career choices of their minor child with the school administration and teaching staff and may provide suggestions.

1. Disciplinary measures may be imposed on students who violate the provisions of this regulation or other rules issued based on it, as well as instructions from the competent bodies or teachers.

1. The following disciplinary measures may be imposed

a. Warning (oral or written),

b. Removal from the class session,

c. Additional work (completion of specific tasks during free time, at school, or at home),

d. Suspension from attending classes for several days or weeks,

e. Threat of expulsion from the school (ultimatum),

f. Expulsion from the school with or without an entry in the school record.

2. The main reasons for expulsion from school are

a. the continuous harmful influence on other students,

b. serious or repeated violations of the legal order or the disciplinary regulations,

c. significant damage to the reputation of the school.

3. Students who have not yet fulfilled their compulsory schooling obligations are generally not expelled.

4. The affected student must be granted the right to a hearing before the imposition of a disciplinary measure. In the case of disciplinary measures according to paragraph 1d-f, the guardians of underage students must also be consulted.

1. Teachers are authorized to issue reprimands, dismiss students from class, and assign additional work.

2. The school administration holds all disciplinary powers.

1. For the governmental recognition of maturity diplomas from private providers, it is required that

a. the private school's governing body possesses the necessary trustworthiness for governmental recognition,

b. the teachers employed at the private school can demonstrate an equivalent education to that of public schools,

c. the curriculum complies with the cantonal regulations, and

d. the private school has successfully prepared at least two cohorts of students for the federal maturity examinations.

2. ...

3. The Gymnasial Education Office assesses whether the learning objectives prescribed for cantonal schools are achieved through the instruction of private providers. If the instruction is inadequate, governmental recognition will be revoked. Additionally, it may be ordered that students who are still in compulsory education be placed in a public school.

1. The canton may allocate contributions to private schools upon request.

2. The annual cantonal contributions to private schools are determined by the Council of State within the scope of the preliminary budget.

3. Contributions may be granted if the private school

a. meets a public need and relieves the canton schools,

b. fulfills the performance mandate,

c. has been operating successfully for at least four years after the performance mandate was issued.

4. Municipal contributions to private schools for students during compulsory schooling are payable only when contributions from the canton are allocated.

1. The organization of support programs is the responsibility of each individual school. The support programs can be coordinated at the cantonal level if necessary.

1. The school ensures that students with exceptional abilities or exceptionally high motivation are identified early and are provided with appropriate support.

2. Programs for talent development aim at optimally fostering talents and preventing any adverse developments.

1. Within the framework of talent promotion, the following forms of offers are possible

a. promotion within the framework of teaching in regular classes,

b. promotion through enrichment of teaching offerings,

c. * promotion through acceleration,

d. * talent classes of the short-term gymnasium according to § 54a.

2. Promotion within the framework of teaching in regular classes particularly means differentiation in teaching.

3. Promotion through enrichment of teaching offerings includes, among other things, attending specially organized subject or project offerings that cater to the interests and abilities of the learners.

4. Promotion through acceleration may mean early admission to the gymnasium, skipping a grade, or attending classes in a higher grade in one or more subjects.

1. Talent Classes enable gifted learners to better balance their academic education with the extracurricular development of their special skills by adjusting the school framework conditions of the short-term secondary school.

2. The Government Council may decide on deviations from the weekly timetable or the curriculum of regular classes for Talent Classes.

3. Admission to a Talent Class can be granted to individuals who possess a proven talent, particularly in sports or the arts. The school administration decides on admissions based on an admission procedure. It issues guidelines for this purpose.

4. Anyone who no longer meets the requirements for admission to the Talent Class as stated in paragraph 3 at the end of a school year will be excluded from the support program. The school administration may grant exceptions.

5. If a school year must be repeated, remaining in the Talent Class is generally not possible. The school administration decides on exceptions.

1. The school ensures that students with academic deficiencies due to different educational backgrounds or foreign-language learners can be supported in certain subjects over a specific period during the 1st grade of both long-term and short-term secondary schools.

2. For foreign-language learners entering a higher grade of long-term or short-term secondary school, the school administration decides on the necessary support measures.

1. Utilization of the Cantonal School Counseling Service is governed by the Ordinance on School Services of December 21, 1999.

1. The municipal contributions cover 50 percent of the total operating costs of the cantonal schools for students during compulsory school time. They are allocated to the canton by the municipality of residence of the student in the form of a per capita contribution.

2. The contribution per student and school year is recalculated annually by the Gymnasial Education Office based on the operating costs of the penultimate year.

3. For the calculation of the municipal contribution, the number of students in compulsory school time as of September 1st of the current school year is decisive.

4. Municipal contributions to private high schools correspond to the contributions to the cantonal schools and are subject to the conditions according to § 51 paragraph 4.

1. Appeals against decisions related to this ordinance may be filed in writing and with justification according to the provisions of the Law on Gymnasium Education and the Law on Administrative Justice.

2. The period for filing an appeal is 20 days.

1. The following decrees and provisions are repealed

a. Admission and Promotion Regulations of the High Schools of the Canton of Lucerne dated July 1, 1998,

b. School Regulations for the Lucerne Cantonal Schools dated October 24, 1973,

c. Admission and Promotion Regulations of the Adult Maturity School dated January 7, 1999,

d. Regulations on Elective Subjects at the High Schools of the Canton of Lucerne dated November 5, 1998,

e. Regulations for the Supervisory Commissions of the Cantonal Schools and the Seminars dated February 24, 1972, insofar as they concern the Cantonal Schools.

1. The regulation shall enter into force on August 1, 2001. It is to be published.