€120 million for mathematics in schools: what changes in 2026 for the Autonomous Communities

Key data

Spain allocates €120.5 million to improve the mathematical level of its Primary and Secondary Education students. The Resolution of June 11, 2026, from the State Secretariat for Education, publishes the Agreement of the Sectoral Education Conference of June 3, 2026, which approves the territorial distribution of these funds among all Autonomous Communities for the 2026 budget year.

The decision is not arbitrary: Spain's results in the PISA 2022 report revealed a significant deficit in mathematical competence among young Spanish people. Added to this is the fact that Spain is below the OECD average in the incorporation of women into STEM careers, a gap that this program also aims to reduce.

What does this regulation establish?

The Sectoral Education Conference —the coordination body between the Ministry and regional education departments— approved on June 3, 2026 the proposal for territorial distribution of €120,562,298 from the budget of the Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports.

The funds are channeled as credits managed by the Autonomous Communities, under article 86 of the General Budget Law. This means that each Autonomous Community receives its share and executes it according to its own educational structures, but under the distribution criteria and objectives set by the Ministry.

Given that the total amount exceeds the threshold of €12 million, prior authorization from the Council of Ministers was necessary, which was obtained on May 12, 2026.

The declared objectives of the program are:

• Improve Spain's results in mathematical competence, in response to the low indicators of PISA 2022.
• Achieve the European objective of reducing to 15% or less the percentage of young people with low performance in mathematics by the year 2030.
• Reduce the gender gap in STEM careers, an area in which Spain is below the OECD average.

Economic and operational impact

For the Autonomous Communities, this program means receiving additional funds from the State that must be used entirely for strengthening mathematical competence. This is not a transfer with free disposal: the distribution criteria and program objectives condition the use of resources.

The Ministry of Education, Vocational Training and Sports will conduct monitoring and control of the use of funds transferred to each community. This implies obligations of justification and accountability for the receiving regional departments.

For educational centers, the arrival of these funds can translate into:

• Hiring or strengthening of teachers specialized in mathematics.
• Acquisition of teaching materials and digital resources aimed at mathematical competence.
• Teacher training programs in mathematical methodologies.
• Specific initiatives to promote STEM vocations among female students, with the objective of reducing the gender gap.

Who does it affect?

• Autonomous Communities: are the direct recipients of the funds and responsible for their management and justification to the Ministry.
• Regional Education Departments: must plan and execute the program's actions within their territory.
• Primary and Secondary Education centers: are the final recipients of the actions financed by the program.
• Mathematics teachers: may benefit from training actions, hiring or resource support derived from the program.
• Primary and Secondary Education students: are the ultimate beneficiaries, especially those with low performance in mathematics or belonging to groups with lower representation in STEM.
• Education sector supplier companies (publishers, digital platforms, training): may access tenders derived from the execution of funds in each Autonomous Community.

Practical example

Imagine a medium-sized Autonomous Community that receives, in proportion to its population and school weight, a share of the total €120,562,298. With those funds, its Education Department must design an action plan that justifies how they are allocated to strengthening mathematical competence in its Primary and Secondary centers.

If that community does not have an internal monitoring plan aligned with the Ministry's criteria, it is exposed to justification requirements or even the return of unexecuted or misapplied funds. That is why the first operational step for any regional department is to review the published distribution criteria and design an internal control system before committing spending.

For companies in the education sector (adaptive learning platforms, mathematics publishers, teacher training companies), this program represents a direct business opportunity: the Autonomous Communities will have to tender or contract services and materials to execute the funds before the end of the 2026 budget year.

What should the Autonomous Communities do now?

1. Review the distribution agreement: Consult the Resolution of June 11, 2026 in the BOE to know the exact amount assigned to each community and the approved distribution criteria.
2. Activate the execution plan: Design or update the program's action plan within the 2026 budget year, ensuring that actions align with the program's objectives (PISA improvement, European 2030 objective, STEM gap).
3. Establish justification mechanisms: Implement an internal spending monitoring system, given that the Ministry will monitor and control the use of transferred funds.
4. Initiate contracting processes: If materials, digital platforms or teacher training are required, initiate tender procedures with sufficient time to execute spending within the 2026 budget year.
5. Communicate with educational centers: Inform Primary and Secondary centers about the planned actions and available resources derived from the program.

Official source

Consult complete regulation in official source

Notice: This article is purely informational in nature and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-13440