ABSTRACT
To understand the multicultural reality in Spain and how the education system confronts this phenomenon, it is necessary to know, on one hand, how the Spanish state structure is organized, and on the other hand, the several levels of multiculturalism. Regarding the first issue, since the Constitution of 1978, the Spanish state has been organized into municipalities, counties, and autonomous communities. Seventeen autonomous communities exist now and six of them have full responsibility in education: Catalonia, Basque Country, Galicia, Andaluci, Canary Islands, and Valencia. However, the state has reserved the following responsibilities for itself: (a) the general arrangement of the education system; (b) the general curriculum of teaching; (c) the establishment of a core curriculum and the regulation of other conditions to obtain, issue, and approve academic degrees and professional qualifications in all Spanish territory; and (d) High Inspection.
