Education in the 21st century is about providing individual and the best possible support for all school students. This also applies to high-performing children and adolescents as well as those who are potentially particularly high achievers – irrespective of where they come from, their gender or their social background. 
The joint initiative “Leistung macht Schule” (LemaS) of the Federal Government and the Länder enhances development opportunities for these students.

• Innovative teaching strategies and school design are needed to support all school students in regular classes in order to enable them to develop their individual potential and talent.
• Furthermore, the initiative supports teachers and headmasters in their efforts to identify high-performing students early on and promote their potential.

Since 2018, the Federal Government and the Länder have each provided half of the funding totalling 125 million euros for a period of ten years. The 16 Länder are responsible for selecting the schools to take part in the initiative.

Academia and practice working hand in hand

The Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) has been funding an interdisciplinary group of academic scholars from the start of the initiative. Together with the schools participating in the initiative, they have developed science-informed strategies, concepts and measures to enhance the promotion of talent and high performance at schools and in class.

Transferring results to other schools

The transfer of results is at the heart of the second phase of the initiative. The goal is to firmly establish a national school and classroom culture that promotes high performance and talent at as many schools as possible. To this end, the scientifically informed strategies, concepts and materials that were tried and tested in the classroom are now made available to other schools. 

In this way, the schools that participated in the first phase of the initiative act as multipliers for the newly added schools. There are around 100 school networks for the transfer of knowledge and experience. Academic scholars monitor and support this transfer in cooperation with multipliers at Länder institutes and quality boards.

FAQ

What is the objective of the LemaS initiative?

The goal is to identify high-performing and potentially particularly high-achieving school students early on and to support them in the best possible way. This enables them to fully develop their individual potential and talent – irrespective of where they come from, their gender or their social background.

What does cooperation between academia and practice look like?

In the first phase of the initiative that lasted until June 2023, teachers and academics worked together to develop strategies, concepts and measures to promote a school culture that fosters high performance and talent. In the second phase of the initiative, schools share their knowledge and experiences. The academic scholars involved support this process. 

Which school students are funded?

The initiative focuses on school students in Year 1 10. The newly developed instruments foster their potential particularly in mathematics, German, natural sciences and foreign languages.

What kind of support do teachers and headmasters receive?

The research group offers numerous development opportunities for teachers and headmasters across Germany, including qualification and networking events. This supports teachers and headmasters in establishing and firmly anchoring at their schools and in their classrooms a culture that promotes high performance and talent. 

Why do we need the LemaS initiative?

Offering high-performing and potentially particularly high-achieving children and adolescents the opportunity to develop their talent, irrespective of where they come from, their gender or their social background, is a question of equity in education. 

Who started the LemaS initiative?

On 28 November 2016, the Federal Government and the Länder adopted the joint initiative to promote high-performing and potentially particularly high-achieving school students in order to foster their development opportunities in a targeted way.

Why is the BMBF active in this area?

The Federal Government and the Länder agree there is a need for better support for high-performing and potentially particularly high-achieving school students. Equal opportunities, participation and successful educational biographies are all part of the Federal Government’s education policy objectives. 

Is the LemaS initiative yet another programme for the highly gifted?

The LemaS initiative is not about the highly gifted. Its aim is to recognize the strengths of all school students in regular classes and to adequately promote the development of these students and their potential. This can also include social skills and community service.

Who is funding the initiative and how much of this reaches schools?

The Federal Government and the Länder each provide half of the total funding of 125 million euros over a period of ten years (2018 2027). The schools receive up to date, science-informed expertise to enable the systematic promotion of students in regular classes and to foster school development.

How can teachers identify and promote potential?

Academics and teachers jointly developed strategies, concepts and measures such as special task formats that teachers can use in class to identify and promote their students’ special talent and potential. 

How do the results reach other schools?

The second phase of the initiative (July 2023-2027) envisages the formation of around 100 school networks in which the 300 schools involved in the first phase share their knowledge with newly participating schools. A research group and decision-makers from Länder institutes and quality boards support this knowledge transfer.

Editorial deadline for this text: 01.11.2024