More and more centers in Mallorca (many, public) prioritize the children of former students

PalmaThe fact that a father or mother has studied at a particular school can favor the admission of their children. This criterion, which does not take into account a student's current need or circumstance, but rather the family's prior relationship with the school or institute, is gaining presence in Mallorca. For the 2026-2027 school year, a total of 139 public and subsidized schools on the island included it among the ranking criteria, 14 more than the previous year, when there were 125. The comparison shows that this circumstance has been incorporated into more schools in both educational networks. In public schools—CEIP and IES—the number goes from 60 to 68. In subsidized schools identified as CC, it increases from 65 to 71. In total, the figure grows from 125 to 139 schools, an increase of 11.2% in one year.

The increase occurs despite the criticism this requirement has received since it was introduced. The family federations of the Balearic Islands, grouped under COAPA Balears, and the STEI union took the criterion to court, considering that it may foster inequality in access to school. In December 2024, the director of FAPA Mallorca, Miquel Àngel Guerrero, described it as "discriminatory" and warned that it "may be unconstitutional".

Criticism of the former student point denounce that it favors families with a previous connection to the center and harms those who cannot prove it. FAPA Mallorca and the STEI questioned its legality and took it to the courts, along with other admission criteria. Three members of the Advisory Council warned, in a dissenting opinion, that it could constitute discrimination based on birth. Despite the controversy and the opposition expressed to the School Council, the criterion ended up being applied.

More presence everywhere

The increase is more notable in public schools. Among the analyzed academic years, ten public schools incorporate the criterion, while two stop including it. The result is a net increase of eight schools: from 60 that included it in the 2025-2026 academic year to 68 in the current one. The public schools that incorporate it are CEIP Joan Veny i Clar, CEIP Antònia Alzina, CEIP Rei Jaume III, CEIPIESO Son Quint, CEIP S’Auba, IES Guillem Sagrera, CEIP Es Torrentet, IES Can Peu Blanc, IES Son Ferrer and CEIP Calonge.

Conversely, CEIP La Soledat and CEIP Vialfàs are no longer listed among the public schools that apply this criterion in the 2026-2027 academic year document. In the concerted network, the trend is also upward. The number of centers identified as CC that include the criterion goes from 65 last year to 71 in the 2026-2027 academic year. In this case, there are six additions and no dropouts occurred.

The charter schools that are being added are San Buenaventura, La Salle de Marratxí, Sant Francesc d’Assís, La Miraculosa, Manjón, and Escolàpies Palma. Thus, the net increase of six charter schools is added to the eight additional public schools that include this circumstance. In total, the documents go from counting 125 public and charter schools with the criterion to 139. The comparison is limited to CEIP and IES public schools and the charter schools identified as CC, in accordance with the categories used in the count.

The weight of this criterion varies depending on the school, as each school or institute can establish a different score within the criteria it chooses voluntarily, although the maximum for this scale is 1 point. The fact that a school gives points to children of former students does not mean that this circumstance is decisive for obtaining a place, but it does act as a tie-breaker and can mean that a student who lives right next to a school does not get a place there, while another who has obtained points for other criteria first matches them in points and then breaks the tie with the former student point. The paradox is that the former lives right next to the school and the latter may live quite far away.