Starting this year, Tallinn is changing its school placement policy to consider the actual walking distance a child must travel to get to school, instead of the previous method that factored in only the linear distance from home to school. This change will be implemented on March 1, when the city begins accepting applications for first-grade admissions. A new online platform named Laur will be used for applications, but the significant change is how the distance between home and school will be calculated.

Previously, the closest school was designated based simply on a straight line measurement from the child's registered home address to the school's location. This year, however, the process will require consideration of the actual paths that pedestrians must take to reach the school. This could potentially affect many families, as the designated school might differ from what parents expect until they log into the Laur system to submit their applications, highlighting the need for families to be more informed about the routes involved.

The city's Deputy Mayor Andrei Kante stated that the aim of these changes is to make the school placement process more equitable. By focusing on walking distance rather than straight-line distance, the city hopes to improve accessibility for families, ensuring that children can more realistically attend schools that are within a reasonable traveling distance from their homes. This initiative may also prompt discussions about urban planning and pedestrian infrastructure in Tallinn, aiming for a more child-friendly environment.