Decentralization and democracy: the beginnings of regional educational policies in Spain during the Transition (1978-1985)

The analysis of the evolution of teaching during the Democratic Transition in Spain has been made from a general perspective. However, these works do not address this issue from a regional or autonomic perspective, despite the fact that with the 1978 Constitution some of them -Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, Andalusia, Valencia and the Canary Islands- have a broad and very significant repertoire of competences. From a comparative perspective and with the detailed consultation of almost one hundred legislative references, the first steps of these regional educational policies and their impact on the development of the Spanish democratic system are examined. It is discovered how there is a high degree of coincidence between the actions of the Autonomous Governments: the times, the themes or the interest in certain contents. The Autonomous Communities are accomplices necessary for the implementation of an educational system based on democratic values. They are the co-responsible for the success of this transformation. A change that takes place without relevant conflicts.