The municipal elections in Paris are scheduled for March 15 and 22, 2026. If education is one of your top concerns, our team offers a clear and factual summary of the candidates' proposals for the Paris mayoralty on this topic. Schools, extracurricular activities, local education policies — who is proposing what for education in Paris?
A new mayor will soon be at the helm in the French capital! The municipal elections in Paris are scheduled for March 15 and 22, 2026, with two voting rounds planned. In Paris, voters will need to cast two ballots, in accordance with the new voting system: one to elect the district councilors, and another to choose the Paris city councilors, who will then select the next mayor.
One of the key issues for Parisians is education, which ranks high on the list of concerns. This is no surprise, as the city is actively involved in the daily lives of Parisian families through the management of schools, after-school services, and local educational policies: cafeteria options, childcare services, academic support, and various modes of assistance and educational partnerships are all tools at the municipality’s disposal. These factors shape the organization of school schedules, support for parents, and student achievement, which explains why this topic features prominently in local political agendas.
The City of Paris has tangible responsibilities when it comes to education:
- Oversees public nursery and elementary schools and contributes to maintaining the school buildings;
- Organizes and funds school meals and after-school care programs;
- Implements extracurricular educational and sporting activities, often working in collaboration with local districts;
- May provide financial support for additional educational projects such as associations and workshops.
These policies are reflected daily through access to family services, support for students before and after school hours, and budget decisions that directly impact the quality of facilities and educational programs.
So, if education is one of your top concerns, Sortiraparis invites you to explore a summary of the proposals from the leading candidates for the Paris mayoralty on this topic. This overview is based on publicly available information such as official campaign websites, press releases, and media reports. The goal: provide readers with factual insights to help them form their own opinions.
Proposals on Education for the 2026 Paris Municipal Elections:
(Regular updates will be made as programs are published and candidates announced. In some cases, detailed measures have not yet been specified in public sources; these gaps are indicated accordingly.)
Pierre-Yves Bournazel (Horizons – Backed by Renaissance)
So far, there are few detailed proposals explicitly related to education among the available program outlines. However, a few suggestions do stand out:
- Implement background checks for youth workers and establish surveillance pairing systems (Source: Le Parisien)
- Increase the deployment of video surveillance cameras in front of schools and middle schools (Source: Valeurs Actuelles)
- Install alert buttons connected directly to police stations inside schools and middle schools (Source: Valeurs Actuelles)
Sophia Chikirou (La France Insoumise / Nouveau Paris Populaire)
Here are the candidate's detailed proposals:
- Make school cafeterias free for families with the lowest income levels and increase the scale of tuition fees progressively.
- Ensure support for all children with disabilities by creating specialized inclusion animators and providing comprehensive training for all educational staff.
- Guarantee the consistent presence of an early childhood educator (ATSEM) in every kindergarten class and ensure staff are trained in hygiene for after-school hours.
- Strengthen school health services to offer an annual medical check-up for every student.
- Transform after-school programs into full-fledged educational services, adhering to national staffing ratios and hiring permanent activity leaders.
- Stabilize after-school teams by reducing reliance on temporary staff and offering permanent positions or contracts to precarious animators.
- Develop a professional pathway for after-school staff, with enhanced training programs and career advancement opportunities from Level C to Level A.
- Expand free tutoring services and enhance educational, cultural, and sports workshops in collaboration with local associations.
- Modernize school and sports facilities by improving accessibility and ensuring proximity to communities.
- Adapt schools to health and climate challenges through renovations of sanitary facilities, better ventilation, and redesigned schoolyards.
- Enhance collaboration with local associations and social centers through dedicated governance and multi-year funding agreements.
- Promote the use of the public education service by limiting municipal support for private education to legal obligations and increasing transparency around funding.
- Implement a permanent municipal anti-racism education program across after-school activities, recreational centers, and municipal facilities.
- Consistently train municipal staff who interact with minors in recognizing and addressing racist situations.
Rachida Dati (Les Républicains/MoDem/UDI)
As of now, there are few detailed proposals explicitly related to education in the available program outlines. However, a few suggestions do stand out:
- Introduction of a four-day school week
- Implementation of supervised after-school study sessions
- Hiring exclusively of qualified, trained, and certified activity leaders
- Rigorous screening of all applicants: background checks, verification against the sexual offender register (FIJAIVS), and comprehensive environment and personal investigations
- Reduced involvement of subsidized organizations during after-school hours
- Mandatory ongoing training for staff, especially focusing on preventing gender-based and sexual violence
Emmanuel Grégoire (Center-left coalition: PS – Socialist Party, Communist Party, Greens, Place Publique, L’Après)
So far, there are few detailed proposals explicitly related to education in the available program outlines. However, a few ideas do stand out:
- Defend strong public services "from early childhood to school age"
- Launch free "1000 Days Houses" across Paris to support families from pregnancy up to their children's second birthday
- Transform urban spaces for children by creating 1,000 pedestrian-friendly streets where it's enjoyable to learn, play, and live
- Establish a dedicated role for a Deputy for Parenting and Family Affairs at City Hall
- Expand library and media center hours
- Introduce the "1 Month, 1 Discovery" program, enabling children aged 4 to 11 to engage in an artistic or cultural activity each month
- Redesign schools and neighborhoods as part of a broader ecological and social project
Sarah Knafo (Reconquête)
As of January 19, 2026, there are no concrete proposals or specific measures dedicated to education on the candidate's official website or in the media.
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Thierry Mariani (National Rally - UDR)
Implement school uniforms starting from primary school
- Reintroduce a four-day school week
- Increase supervision and academic support to help struggling students
- Initiate a comprehensive plan to protect early childhood and enforce a strict zero-tolerance policy on abuse
Marielle Saulnier (Working People's Front)
As of January 19, 2026, there are no concrete proposals or specific measures related to education announced on the candidate's official website or in the press.
Regarding education for the 2026 municipal elections in Paris, candidates' programs remain only partially outlined. Some frontrunners, such as Sophia Chikirou, have begun specifying policies directly related to education, while others have yet to publicly release detailed proposals on the subject.
This dossier will be updated gradually as candidates reveal more details about their education proposals. To deepen your understanding, you can also explore the comprehensive thematic summary of each candidate's positions on other municipal issues such as housing, mobility, environment, and more.
To help clarify the issues that matter most to you regarding the management of Paris, we've put together a thematic overview. You can find all these topics summarized below!
2026 Paris Municipal Elections: Candidate Program Proposals by Theme
The municipal elections are just around the corner, and you're eager to learn more about the candidates’ platforms for the Paris city hall? We've got you covered. Explore their proposals by theme—security, housing, environment, education, culture—and see where each candidate stands! [Read more]
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2026 Paris Municipal Elections: Candidate Program Proposals by Theme
