The situation of public finances in the Federal Republic of Germany has triggered a discussion about the appropriate balance between private and public funding of the education system. However, these economic problems are more of a reason than a cause for renewed considerations regarding the introduction of market-based principles in this area of society. They coincide with a number of other factors. These include the challenges posed by European integration following the Maastricht treaties, as the share of non-state sponsorship of educational institutions in other European countries is significantly higher in some cases. Additionally, there are experiences indicating that a state-controlled education system does not necessarily meet the expectations placed upon it.