Austrian federal states failed to collect roughly 67.9 million euros earmarked for kindergarten expansion and language support, according to a Ministry of Education response to a Green Party inquiry. Another 800,000 euros for mandatory attendance went unused.
Available grants for the 2024/2025 year totaled 191.5 million euros for expansion and 80.5 million for mandatory attendance. While Vorarlberg and Lower Austria utilized nearly all funds, Styria left 30 million euros, or 76 percent of its allocation, untouched.
The Green Party is now demanding a legal right to kindergarten places and mandatory expansion plans. These purpose-bound funds are intended to improve care ratios, extend opening hours, and provide critical language support for children across the country.