For children who need more specialised teaching because of their handicap, there are also eight special schools for in total 800 pupils, which should, as far as possible, provide equivalent education to the education offered in the compulsory school. The majority of the special schools are schools for pupils with hearing disabilities. Intellectually disabled pupils may with special support follow the education in a class in compulsory school or be enrolled in special classes for intellectually disabled. The Education Act states, however, that parents and pupils should be able to make a choice concerning compulsory education. To the extent that it is possible, parents' wishes for their children to attend a particular public school within the municipality should be considered.
Parents can choose between public and private schools.
Parents can also, within certain limits, choose to let their children attend a public school outside the home municipality. The municipalities are obliged to provide pupils with all the materials necessary for school work. All compulsory schooling is co-educational and provided free of charge. The alterations to the legislative framework for the school system that have taken effect in the 1990's have involved fundamental changes in the control and organization of the schools, as well as in the conditions under which individual schools are able to operate. In December 1993, Parliament adopted legislation laying down new curricular guidelines for the whole school system, geared to the new objective and result-related governing system for schools.