Berlin Court Upholds New Gymnasium Admission Test Despite High Failure Rate

The administrative court rejected an emergency appeal against Berlin's controversial gymnasium entry test, which saw a 97% failure rate, affirming the legality of the new rules.

• The Berlin administrative court ruled that the gymnasium admission test, introduced this year, does not violate constitutional rights or unfairly restrict parental school choice.
• Only 51 out of 1,937 sixth graders passed the test, which evaluates skills in math, German, and teamwork, sparking criticism over its difficulty and timing of implementation.
• The court dismissed an emergency appeal from a student who claimed the test failed to account for her above-average intelligence and learning challenges, citing insufficient evidence of unfair treatment.
• The new policy requires a minimum grade average of 2.2 for gymnasium recommendation; students falling short must pass the test, replacing the previous probationary year system.
• Critics argue the test was hastily introduced and unfairly impacted students already midway through their academic year, but the court found the rollout legally compliant.

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