Our ethnographic study is based on two comparative research projects. The first carried out throughout two years in five autonomous communities of the Spanish state, both in school and in Spanish Roma/Gitano communities, while the second project was conducted throughout three years – two and a half in Barcelona with Spanish Roma/Gitanos, and during six months in Bogotá, Colombia with Colombian Roma of European origin, both in school and community context. The major body of data has been collected by participant observation and with informal semi-directed interviews.

We will argue that apparently positive results of the Spanish Roma Integration Model are basically due to the lack of a systematic evaluation of the implementation of programs as well as the lack of any public statistics on Romany people’s living, housing, labour, schooling, etc. conditions. Present conditions of Romany/Gitano communities are due to, rather than the efficiency of a particular model, a particular historical and economical situation. As far as there is no ethnically disaggregated data available on Romany/Gitano population (which is hardly criticized by a recent Open Society Foundation report – 2010*), ethnographic data play a paramount role in getting knowledge and understanding of the present reality of local Romany/Gitano communities, especially their relation with education and school. Empirical data, putting the facts in a historical dimension and looking beyond the confusing statistical figures on education, does not support the idea of using Spain as a model to follow for other countries. Local implementation of progressive educational legislation as well as school organisation and teachers’ pedagogical preparation are far from supporting the equality of conditions for school achievements and integration of Roma/Gitano students.