Together with the PISA discussion and a clear decline in the number of students, numerous structural reforms have been observed in Germany since the mid-2000s. In the process, various new types of secondary schools were created, bringing the existing courses of education closer together. Using Schleswig-Holstein as a case study as well as presenting a cross-state analysis, this contribution will identify the main driving forces of the structural reforms. In this context, blockades that have slowed down the structural change to this day will also come into view.

Keywords
school policy, school reform, school system, secondary school, PISA study, demography, school choice behavior, educational governance, policy analysis, network analysis, advocacy coalition framework