City Council to consider Wednesday response on emergency school after 31 percent of teachers experience violence weekly

On Wednesday 4 November 2026, Aarhus Byråd (Aarhus City Council) will consider the Municipal Executive Children and Young People Department’s response to Børne- og ungebyrådet’s proposal on an emergency school, more local special resources, and an extra Ordblindetest. The Municipal Executive recommends that Byrådet (City Council) adopt a recommendation that points to continued support through, among other things, expansion of Kaløvigskolen and upholds the Ministry of Education’s rules for the Ordblindetest.

What it means for you

If Byrådet adopts the recommendation, a municipal emergency school will not be introduced on the basis of this item, and pupils in the yellow zone of the Ordblindetest will not receive an extra test. Parents and pupils can instead look forward to the planned expansion of Kaløvigskolen and a financial margin at the schools for local initiatives in the budget agreement. Teachers and pupils who experience violence, threats, or insecurity will thus be met with an approach that emphasises existing efforts and special programmes rather than a new emergency-school setup.

Background

On 29 May 2026, Børne- og ungebyrådet submitted a motion on more support for pupils who are socially and academically vulnerable. The proposal calls for an emergency school for the most vulnerable and outwardly reactive pupils, more resources for special programmes locally at schools, and more tests and more help for dyslexic pupils in the intermediate yellow zone.

The emergency school is described in the proposal as a temporary, intensive programme for pupils in grades 6–9 with severe, outwardly reactive and boundary-crossing behaviour. For up to 20 school days, the pupil should receive support from teachers, psychologists, and social workers, in small groups with up to five teachers per ten pupils. According to the proposers, the aim is to help the pupil and restore calm in the class again – not to punish. Referral is to be made by the head teacher in cooperation with PPR, the class team, and parents when the school’s other options are exhausted.

On dyslexia, Børne- og ungebyrådet points out that pupils in the yellow zone risk being overlooked because they are not formally classified as dyslexic even though they have severe reading difficulties. Therefore an extra Ordblindetest is proposed for this group.

Byrådet (city council) referred the proposal to the Municipal Executive Children and Young People Department for a response on 17 June 2026. The department submitted its recommendation on 6 October 2026. On 27 October 2026 the Municipal Executive recommended that Byrådet adopt the recommendation. Rådmand (alderman) for Teknik og Miljø Nicolaj Bang and rådmand for Kultur og Borgerservice Jesper Kjeldsen were unable to take part in the Municipal Executive’s consideration.

The recommendation proposes three tracks: that the municipality continues to support the most vulnerable children and young people, among other things through expansion of Kaløvigskolen in line with the 2027–2030 budget agreement; that Byrådet takes note that the 2027–2023 budget agreement allocates a financial margin to the schools for local initiatives; and that the municipality continues to follow the Ministry of Education’s professional guidance on the Ordblindetest while support for the target group is strengthened through follow-up and competence development.

Children and Young People writes that the Ordblindetest may only be administered once, and that an extra test for pupils in the yellow category can therefore not be introduced. Schools are continuously supported by reading consultants. For pupils with boundary-crossing behaviour, mention is made among other things of AKT, inclusion advisers, PPR, school health services, and the programme På Rette Vej (PRV) for lower-secondary pupils. According to the recommendation, capacity at Kaløvigskolen has been insufficient; the school is being expanded with a new lower-secondary department at Elev Skole, with expected commissioning in the 2027/28 school year.

Proposals on an emergency school have previously been discussed in the 2026 and 2027 budget proposals, drawing on Sweden and Odense. In Sweden, emergency schools have existed for 11 years, but only a few children have used the offer. In Odense, the evaluation after one year showed that the original segregating offer was not used; instead an emergency team has supported pupils locally.

Figures and facts

• According to a survey from Danmarks Lærerforening cited by Børne- og ungebyrådet, 31 percent of teachers in Aarhus experience violent incidents weekly, and 9 percent daily (Appendix — Appendix 1: Motion Børne- og ungebyrådet 29.05.2026).
• The proposed emergency school is envisaged as a programme of up to 20 school days for pupils in grades 6–9, with up to five teachers per ten pupils (Appendix — Appendix 1: Motion Børne- og ungebyrådet 29.05.2026).
• Kaløvigskolen is being expanded with a new lower-secondary department at Elev Skole, with expected commissioning in the 2027/28 school year (Appendix — Recommendation).
• The 2026 budget allocates DKK 5.7 million to a three-year competence development programme for staff in special classes and schools (Appendix — Recommendation).
• Byrådet forwarded the proposal for a response on 17 June 2026; on 27 October 2026 the Municipal Executive recommended that Byrådet adopt the recommendation of 6 October 2026 (Agenda — Response to proposal from Børne- og ungebyrådet on more support for socially and academically vulnerable pupils).

Who said what

In the city council debate on 17 June 2026, several parties welcomed the proposal, but disagreement centred especially on the emergency school.

Rådmand Thomas Medom (SF) thanked Børne- og ungebyrådet and called safe classrooms the core of the folkeskole. He pointed out that Byrådet previously chose a new special school rather than an emergency school, and that according to him Odense has not referred a single pupil to its emergency school offer. On the yellow zone in the Ordblindetest, he stressed that the test may only be taken once, but that follow-up must still be better (Appendix — City council debate 17.06.2026).

Berit Rousing (S) wanted the matter sent to the Municipal Executive for further clarification and highlighted insecurity for both pupils and staff. Nanna Lippert Troelsen (SF) was sceptical of the emergency school model and pointed instead to Odense’s outreach team. Martin Christensen (V) called it thought-provoking that young people themselves propose an emergency school, but doubted whether the model lifts pupils academically and socially. Jeppe Ulrich Lomholt (EL) found the idea interesting, without the party being convinced it is the right solution, and wanted it examined further.

Louise Svenstrup (LA) focused on the figures for violence against teachers and backed a model along the lines of Liberal Alliance’s previous time-out school. She explained Odense’s lack of referrals by saying that schools themselves must send the funding with the child. Mahad Yussuf (RV) reminded the meeting that schools can already expel violent pupils, and called for focus on the long-term solution when pupils return.

What happens next

On Wednesday 4 November 2026, Aarhus Byråd is to consider the recommendation in Byrådssalen. The Municipal Executive recommends that Byrådet adopt the Municipal Executive Children and Young People Department’s recommendation of 6 October 2026. It is thus expected that Byrådet will decide on continued support through, among other things, Kaløvigskolen, on taking note of the schools’ financial margin, and on upholding the Ministry of Education’s guidance on the Ordblindetest – not on establishing an emergency school or introducing an extra Ordblindetest in this item.

Sources

• Agenda — Response to proposal from Børne- og ungebyrådet on more support for socially and academically vulnerable pupils
• Appendix — Recommendation
• Appendix — Appendix 1: Motion Børne- og ungebyrådet 29.05.2026
• Appendix — City council debate 17.06.2026
• Aarhus Municipality meeting documents — meeting
• Aarhus Kommune