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Independent vs municipal schools — what does the data say?
A deep dive into the differences between independent and municipal school operators.
The debate over independent versus municipal schools is one of the most polarised in Swedish education policy. But what does the data say? We take you through three perspectives — from geographic distribution via raw merit scores to SALSA-adjusted results — and let you form your own opinion.
Where are the independent schools?
Independent schools are not evenly distributed across the country. They cluster in urban areas and metropolitan regions where the pupil base is large enough to sustain a school. In rural areas, municipal schools dominate almost entirely.
The map below shows the distribution clearly — municipal schools on the left, independent on the right. Click around and see how it looks in your county.
The map shows municipal schools (left) and independent schools (right).
Open Friskola vs Kommun fullscreen →Merit scores — do independent schools give higher grades?
Comparing raw merit scores in year 9, we see that independent schools as a group have a slightly higher average. The distribution curve for independent operators is shifted to the right.
But interpret with caution — independent schools on average have pupils with more favourable socioeconomic backgrounds. The difference in merit score can partly be explained by pupil composition, not teaching quality.
SALSA — results adjusted for pupil background
The SALSA model controls for parents' education level, proportion of recently immigrated pupils and gender distribution. What remains — the deviation — shows whether the school performs better or worse than what pupils' backgrounds predict.
The histogram below shows the distribution of deviations for municipal versus independent schools. Does either group consistently land above zero?
Histogram of SALSA deviations: municipal (orange) and independent (green).
Open SALSA-resultatets fördelning fullscreen →The conclusion is nuanced: independent schools have slightly higher raw merit scores, but the gap narrows when adjusting for pupil background. The greatest variation exists within each group — the best municipal schools outperform the worst independent ones, and vice versa.
Choosing a school based solely on operator type would be missing the point. Look at the individual school's results, teaching staff and pupil environment instead.