Suzanne Mettler
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- July 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780195392135
- eISBN:
- 9780199852543
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195392135.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
In previous times, the United States has been considered as a state that gives utmost priority to higher education. As seen in the history of education in the United States, governmental efforts to ...
More
In previous times, the United States has been considered as a state that gives utmost priority to higher education. As seen in the history of education in the United States, governmental efforts to expand opportunities for college attendance is key to providing channels for upward mobility, thus, lessening the scope and impact of economic inequality. However, recent studies have shown that this priority of promoting higher education has decreased over time. This chapter aims to explain why the United States has experienced such a departure. It emphasizes how policies created at earlier junctures foster new political dynamics. It also explains how higher education policies promoted development regarding key interest groups such as lenders. However, these same policies failed to mobilize ordinary citizens, this includes students, and families who hoped to send their children to college.Less
In previous times, the United States has been considered as a state that gives utmost priority to higher education. As seen in the history of education in the United States, governmental efforts to expand opportunities for college attendance is key to providing channels for upward mobility, thus, lessening the scope and impact of economic inequality. However, recent studies have shown that this priority of promoting higher education has decreased over time. This chapter aims to explain why the United States has experienced such a departure. It emphasizes how policies created at earlier junctures foster new political dynamics. It also explains how higher education policies promoted development regarding key interest groups such as lenders. However, these same policies failed to mobilize ordinary citizens, this includes students, and families who hoped to send their children to college.
Ramya Subrahmanian
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- January 2005
- ISBN:
- 9780199256457
- eISBN:
- 9780191601989
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199256454.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Democratization
This chapter examines two challenges to promoting the right of education in India: economic and education policies, and the gender perspective used to justify a focus on women’s education. The ...
More
This chapter examines two challenges to promoting the right of education in India: economic and education policies, and the gender perspective used to justify a focus on women’s education. The capabilities framework is used to distinguish rights-based approaches to social development from the more conventional policy debates in the education sector. The application of the capabilities approach to arguments for the right to education is discussed.Less
This chapter examines two challenges to promoting the right of education in India: economic and education policies, and the gender perspective used to justify a focus on women’s education. The capabilities framework is used to distinguish rights-based approaches to social development from the more conventional policy debates in the education sector. The application of the capabilities approach to arguments for the right to education is discussed.
Anja P. Jakobi and Kerstin Martens
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- September 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199591145
- eISBN:
- 9780191594601
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199591145.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, International Relations and Politics, Political Economy
Chapter 8 analyzes the OECD's impact on education policy‐making. Despite its long‐term involvement in education policy, the organization has developed into a central actor in this field only ...
More
Chapter 8 analyzes the OECD's impact on education policy‐making. Despite its long‐term involvement in education policy, the organization has developed into a central actor in this field only since the 1990s. To explain this rise, this chapter argues that the OECD's wide‐ranging influence in this policy field is caused by expanding and refining its activities in education policy. The OECD's evolution in education policy‐making is examined by contrasting two periods of time: the 1970s — during which the OECD mainly produced discursive contributions to education policy; and the 1990s — when the organization extended its activities to conducting reviews and producing reliable data, enabling the organization to emerge as an influential policy agent in this field. This development is illustrated by the two examples of disseminating the goal of lifelong learning and benchmarking through education indicators.Less
Chapter 8 analyzes the OECD's impact on education policy‐making. Despite its long‐term involvement in education policy, the organization has developed into a central actor in this field only since the 1990s. To explain this rise, this chapter argues that the OECD's wide‐ranging influence in this policy field is caused by expanding and refining its activities in education policy. The OECD's evolution in education policy‐making is examined by contrasting two periods of time: the 1970s — during which the OECD mainly produced discursive contributions to education policy; and the 1990s — when the organization extended its activities to conducting reviews and producing reliable data, enabling the organization to emerge as an influential policy agent in this field. This development is illustrated by the two examples of disseminating the goal of lifelong learning and benchmarking through education indicators.
Ann Quennerstedt
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- May 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199652501
- eISBN:
- 9780191739217
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199652501.003.0008
- Subject:
- Law, Family Law, Human Rights and Immigration
This chapter focuses on the transformation of rights from the universal to the particular level. The specific interest is to explore how universally pronounced claims for children's human rights are ...
More
This chapter focuses on the transformation of rights from the universal to the particular level. The specific interest is to explore how universally pronounced claims for children's human rights are brought from the international arena to the national, and how this transformation affects the perception of the rights. An approach to how the process of transformation and contextualization of rights can be theoretically understood is first outlined. The elaborated approach is then applied to a comparative policy study of how children's rights are interpreted in the area of education in the policies of two nations: Sweden and New Zealand.Less
This chapter focuses on the transformation of rights from the universal to the particular level. The specific interest is to explore how universally pronounced claims for children's human rights are brought from the international arena to the national, and how this transformation affects the perception of the rights. An approach to how the process of transformation and contextualization of rights can be theoretically understood is first outlined. The elaborated approach is then applied to a comparative policy study of how children's rights are interpreted in the area of education in the policies of two nations: Sweden and New Zealand.
Meira Levinson
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199250448
- eISBN:
- 9780191599750
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199250448.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
The goal of this book is to develop a coherent liberal political theory of children's education provision. This goal is motivated by three observations: although people's intuitions about liberalism ...
More
The goal of this book is to develop a coherent liberal political theory of children's education provision. This goal is motivated by three observations: although people's intuitions about liberalism already guide their approach to education policy, their intuitions (and hence their policy stances) are often wrong; in liberal states, liberal political principles should and do have important ramifications for education policy; and educational outcomes have important ramifications for the health and preservation of the liberal polity. The book does not justify liberalism's value—instead takes that as given—but it does address the relationship between formal schooling and other forms of education, as well as discusses the difference between liberal and democratic theories of education.Less
The goal of this book is to develop a coherent liberal political theory of children's education provision. This goal is motivated by three observations: although people's intuitions about liberalism already guide their approach to education policy, their intuitions (and hence their policy stances) are often wrong; in liberal states, liberal political principles should and do have important ramifications for education policy; and educational outcomes have important ramifications for the health and preservation of the liberal polity. The book does not justify liberalism's value—instead takes that as given—but it does address the relationship between formal schooling and other forms of education, as well as discusses the difference between liberal and democratic theories of education.
Cristián Cox
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199732180
- eISBN:
- 9780199866182
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199732180.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This chapter provides an overview and analysis of changes in the educational systems of Latin American countries. The first section sketches the general picture of educational inequality in the ...
More
This chapter provides an overview and analysis of changes in the educational systems of Latin American countries. The first section sketches the general picture of educational inequality in the region, compares income inequality, and distinguishes the different development agendas for the quite different levels of development that exist among the countries of the region. The second section describes the main components of educational reform in the Latin American region for the period 1990–2006, and discusses their impact on the historical patterns of inequality in the social distribution of education. The third section examines available data about years of education and grade completion by countries and social categories, by way of assessing the expansion of access to education by different generations and different socioeconomic categories. The fourth section describes learning outcomes in six Latin American countries and analyses their association with socioeconomic and institutional factors, as well as comparing them with selected OECD countries. This permits an assessment of the region's educational structures in terms of equity of their results. A final section returns to policy issues.Less
This chapter provides an overview and analysis of changes in the educational systems of Latin American countries. The first section sketches the general picture of educational inequality in the region, compares income inequality, and distinguishes the different development agendas for the quite different levels of development that exist among the countries of the region. The second section describes the main components of educational reform in the Latin American region for the period 1990–2006, and discusses their impact on the historical patterns of inequality in the social distribution of education. The third section examines available data about years of education and grade completion by countries and social categories, by way of assessing the expansion of access to education by different generations and different socioeconomic categories. The fourth section describes learning outcomes in six Latin American countries and analyses their association with socioeconomic and institutional factors, as well as comparing them with selected OECD countries. This permits an assessment of the region's educational structures in terms of equity of their results. A final section returns to policy issues.
Harry Brighouse
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780199257874
- eISBN:
- 9780191598845
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199257876.003.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
Provides a brief sketch of liberalism, explaining the key commitments to individualism, rights, and autonomy. It explains how political philosophy should be applied to education policy, and offers a ...
More
Provides a brief sketch of liberalism, explaining the key commitments to individualism, rights, and autonomy. It explains how political philosophy should be applied to education policy, and offers a brief account of the place of the family in liberal justice.Less
Provides a brief sketch of liberalism, explaining the key commitments to individualism, rights, and autonomy. It explains how political philosophy should be applied to education policy, and offers a brief account of the place of the family in liberal justice.
Patrick McGuinn
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195373929
- eISBN:
- 9780199852291
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195373929.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
This chapter focuses on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, the big bang of federal education policy, the moment when national authority over schools grew suddenly and, in ...
More
This chapter focuses on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, the big bang of federal education policy, the moment when national authority over schools grew suddenly and, in retrospect, decisively. It addresses the following questions: How was ESEA able to overcome the many political and institutional obstacles that had stymied earlier attempts to expand the federal role in education? Why were conservatives unable to defeat this new proposal, as they had previous ones, or to prevent ESEA's rapid entrenchment and expansion in subsequent years?Less
This chapter focuses on the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, the big bang of federal education policy, the moment when national authority over schools grew suddenly and, in retrospect, decisively. It addresses the following questions: How was ESEA able to overcome the many political and institutional obstacles that had stymied earlier attempts to expand the federal role in education? Why were conservatives unable to defeat this new proposal, as they had previous ones, or to prevent ESEA's rapid entrenchment and expansion in subsequent years?
Jeffrey Henig
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195373929
- eISBN:
- 9780199852291
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195373929.003.0010
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
This chapter explores the impact of conservative ideas, interests, and institutions by addressing several puzzles posed by recent education politics and policy. It argues that the evolution of ...
More
This chapter explores the impact of conservative ideas, interests, and institutions by addressing several puzzles posed by recent education politics and policy. It argues that the evolution of conservative education policy is best understood as a combination of intent, happenstance, and opportunism. The Reagan era marked a transition in conservative strategy in at least two ways. First, in an almost classic affirmation of the adage “you stand where you sit,” conservative Republicans discovered the merits of authoritative national policy once they found themselves in a position to call the shots. Second, the Reagan era began a slower transition from a substantive core commitment to decentralization to a substantive commitment to choice and privatization within an accountability framework. For the most part, that commitment has remained self-conscious, consistent, controlling, and politically effective.Less
This chapter explores the impact of conservative ideas, interests, and institutions by addressing several puzzles posed by recent education politics and policy. It argues that the evolution of conservative education policy is best understood as a combination of intent, happenstance, and opportunism. The Reagan era marked a transition in conservative strategy in at least two ways. First, in an almost classic affirmation of the adage “you stand where you sit,” conservative Republicans discovered the merits of authoritative national policy once they found themselves in a position to call the shots. Second, the Reagan era began a slower transition from a substantive core commitment to decentralization to a substantive commitment to choice and privatization within an accountability framework. For the most part, that commitment has remained self-conscious, consistent, controlling, and politically effective.
Carolyn Jenkins and Lynne Thomas
- Published in print:
- 2004
- Published Online:
- August 2004
- ISBN:
- 9780199271412
- eISBN:
- 9780191601255
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199271410.003.0015
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Development, Growth, and Environmental
This is the fourth of five country case studies on income inequality, and looks at the case of South Africa. After an introduction, the second section of the chapter reviews the evolution of ...
More
This is the fourth of five country case studies on income inequality, and looks at the case of South Africa. After an introduction, the second section of the chapter reviews the evolution of inequality in South Africa, and the third draws together the findings of other authors to highlight the primary sources of changes in the nature of income inequality (wage differentials and unequal access to employment). The fourth section assesses the evolution of economic policy and performance, drawing a distinction between the apartheid years and the post‐1994 period, and also considers the posttransition policy framework in more detail. The fifth section briefly discusses policies targeted at the structural causes of poverty and inequality since 1994 (policies on education and social expenditure, and on land). The sixth section focuses on the likely impact of the macroeconomic policy framework since 1994 on income distribution, arguing that changes in labour markets resulting from the breakdown of apartheid in the workplace dominated the observed shifts in the distribution of income during the 1970s and 1980s, although there is evidence that the shift towards neoliberal orthodoxy is increasingly affecting the income distribution; topics addressed include the effects of stabilization (inflation and interest rates), fiscal policy, trade and financial liberalization, and labour institutions.Less
This is the fourth of five country case studies on income inequality, and looks at the case of South Africa. After an introduction, the second section of the chapter reviews the evolution of inequality in South Africa, and the third draws together the findings of other authors to highlight the primary sources of changes in the nature of income inequality (wage differentials and unequal access to employment). The fourth section assesses the evolution of economic policy and performance, drawing a distinction between the apartheid years and the post‐1994 period, and also considers the posttransition policy framework in more detail. The fifth section briefly discusses policies targeted at the structural causes of poverty and inequality since 1994 (policies on education and social expenditure, and on land). The sixth section focuses on the likely impact of the macroeconomic policy framework since 1994 on income distribution, arguing that changes in labour markets resulting from the breakdown of apartheid in the workplace dominated the observed shifts in the distribution of income during the 1970s and 1980s, although there is evidence that the shift towards neoliberal orthodoxy is increasingly affecting the income distribution; topics addressed include the effects of stabilization (inflation and interest rates), fiscal policy, trade and financial liberalization, and labour institutions.
Saumen Chattopadhyay
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780198082255
- eISBN:
- 9780199082070
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198082255.001.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Development, Growth, and Environmental
This book explores various conceptualizations of education in economic theory and how this has influenced policymaking in education. Despite the relative dominance of human capital theory in ...
More
This book explores various conceptualizations of education in economic theory and how this has influenced policymaking in education. Despite the relative dominance of human capital theory in economics of education as a sub-discipline of economics and neo-liberalism as an overarching framework in policy discourse, the alternative perspectives to understand and appreciate the role of education in socio-economic development deserve immediate attention. The book deconstructs the interface between economic theory and education in order to unravel the various ways in which education plays a role in socio-economic development to drive home the point that straightforward application of economic theory to study education and the education market while designing education policies is fraught with many pitfalls. While attaining efficiency in resource use and competitiveness are the dominant concerns for policymakers in the emerging global knowledge economy, inclusive and socially cohesive growth also deserves prime attention from policymakers. In particular, it is argued that an absence of a well-defined production function for an academic institution not only discredits the credibility of neo-liberal reform measures, but also justifies why reliance on the market as the guiding principle and the private sector as the dominant service provider may have serious adverse implications for education and the society. After all, classification of education and knowledge as public goods or otherwise and, therefore, their contributions in the economy and society are essentially policy constructs. The book ends with a discussion of challenges facing the Indian education system and policies being mooted.Less
This book explores various conceptualizations of education in economic theory and how this has influenced policymaking in education. Despite the relative dominance of human capital theory in economics of education as a sub-discipline of economics and neo-liberalism as an overarching framework in policy discourse, the alternative perspectives to understand and appreciate the role of education in socio-economic development deserve immediate attention. The book deconstructs the interface between economic theory and education in order to unravel the various ways in which education plays a role in socio-economic development to drive home the point that straightforward application of economic theory to study education and the education market while designing education policies is fraught with many pitfalls. While attaining efficiency in resource use and competitiveness are the dominant concerns for policymakers in the emerging global knowledge economy, inclusive and socially cohesive growth also deserves prime attention from policymakers. In particular, it is argued that an absence of a well-defined production function for an academic institution not only discredits the credibility of neo-liberal reform measures, but also justifies why reliance on the market as the guiding principle and the private sector as the dominant service provider may have serious adverse implications for education and the society. After all, classification of education and knowledge as public goods or otherwise and, therefore, their contributions in the economy and society are essentially policy constructs. The book ends with a discussion of challenges facing the Indian education system and policies being mooted.
Frédéric Docquier and Hillel Rapoport
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199654826
- eISBN:
- 9780191742095
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199654826.003.0013
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Development, Growth, and Environmental, Financial Economics
This section evaluates the policy implications of the brain drain. It focuses on policies that specifically address the causes and consequences of the brain drain. In particular, it explores whether ...
More
This section evaluates the policy implications of the brain drain. It focuses on policies that specifically address the causes and consequences of the brain drain. In particular, it explores whether sending countries should rethink their education policy in the face of the brain drain, whether immigration policies in receiving countries are at odds with their aid and development policies, and whether international tax cooperation is required (and feasible) in order to allow for a better sharing of the surplus from international skilled migration. Finally, it discusses the likely effects of the current crisis on the future of international skilled migration from developing to developed countries.Less
This section evaluates the policy implications of the brain drain. It focuses on policies that specifically address the causes and consequences of the brain drain. In particular, it explores whether sending countries should rethink their education policy in the face of the brain drain, whether immigration policies in receiving countries are at odds with their aid and development policies, and whether international tax cooperation is required (and feasible) in order to allow for a better sharing of the surplus from international skilled migration. Finally, it discusses the likely effects of the current crisis on the future of international skilled migration from developing to developed countries.
Stephen Gorard
- Published in print:
- 2018
- Published Online:
- May 2019
- ISBN:
- 9781447342144
- eISBN:
- 9781447342212
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781447342144.001.0001
- Subject:
- Education, Educational Policy and Politics
What has been done to achieve fairer and more efficient education systems, and what more can be done in the future? This book provides a comprehensive examination of crucial policy areas for ...
More
What has been done to achieve fairer and more efficient education systems, and what more can be done in the future? This book provides a comprehensive examination of crucial policy areas for education, such as differential outcomes, the poverty gradient, and the allocation of resources to education, to identify likely causes of educational disadvantage among students and lifelong learners. This analysis is supported by 20 years of extensive research, based in the home countries of the UK and on work in all EU 28 countries, USA, Pakistan, and Japan. The book brings invaluable insights into the underlying problems within education policy, and proposes practical solutions for a brighter future.Less
What has been done to achieve fairer and more efficient education systems, and what more can be done in the future? This book provides a comprehensive examination of crucial policy areas for education, such as differential outcomes, the poverty gradient, and the allocation of resources to education, to identify likely causes of educational disadvantage among students and lifelong learners. This analysis is supported by 20 years of extensive research, based in the home countries of the UK and on work in all EU 28 countries, USA, Pakistan, and Japan. The book brings invaluable insights into the underlying problems within education policy, and proposes practical solutions for a brighter future.
Li Chunling
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- January 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780199732180
- eISBN:
- 9780199866182
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199732180.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This chapter examines the relationship between social class and university entrance in the People's Republic of China during a period of major economic change towards the end of the last century. The ...
More
This chapter examines the relationship between social class and university entrance in the People's Republic of China during a period of major economic change towards the end of the last century. The trends of development toward greater equality in educational opportunities were severed into two stages of development that moved in diametrically opposite directions. The first stage extended from the 1950s to the 1970s, and it was characterized by the phenomenal growth of educational opportunities, as well as the movement toward a more equitable distribution of educational opportunities. The second stage extended from the 1980s to the 1990s, and it witnessed both the expansion of educational opportunities and the growth of educational inequality. The turning point of these stages of development came with changes in social, political, and economic conditions, as well as with changes in government policies. The fluctuating influence of family origin on educational attainment demonstrates the strong impact of changes in state policy and ideology on the mechanism of distribution of educational opportunities in China.Less
This chapter examines the relationship between social class and university entrance in the People's Republic of China during a period of major economic change towards the end of the last century. The trends of development toward greater equality in educational opportunities were severed into two stages of development that moved in diametrically opposite directions. The first stage extended from the 1950s to the 1970s, and it was characterized by the phenomenal growth of educational opportunities, as well as the movement toward a more equitable distribution of educational opportunities. The second stage extended from the 1980s to the 1990s, and it witnessed both the expansion of educational opportunities and the growth of educational inequality. The turning point of these stages of development came with changes in social, political, and economic conditions, as well as with changes in government policies. The fluctuating influence of family origin on educational attainment demonstrates the strong impact of changes in state policy and ideology on the mechanism of distribution of educational opportunities in China.
Sarah Reckhow
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- January 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780199937738
- eISBN:
- 9780199980734
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199937738.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
Some of the nation's wealthiest philanthropies, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and the Broad Foundation have invested hundreds of millions of dollars ...
More
Some of the nation's wealthiest philanthropies, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and the Broad Foundation have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in education reform. With vast wealth and a political agenda, foundations have helped to reshape the reform landscape in urban education. In this book, Sarah Reckhow shows where and how foundation investment in education is occurring and analyzes the effects of these investments within the two largest urban districts, New York City and Los Angeles. In New York City, centralized political control and the use of private resources have enabled rapid implementation of reform proposals. Yet this potent combination of top-down authority and outside funding also poses serious questions about transparency, responsiveness, and democratic accountability in New York. Meanwhile, a slower, but possibly more transformative set of reforms has been taking place in Los Angeles. These reforms were also funded and shaped by major foundations, but they work from the bottom up, through charter school operators managing networks of schools. This strategy has built grassroots political momentum and demand for reform in Los Angeles that is unmatched in New York City and other districts with mayoral control.Less
Some of the nation's wealthiest philanthropies, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation, and the Broad Foundation have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in education reform. With vast wealth and a political agenda, foundations have helped to reshape the reform landscape in urban education. In this book, Sarah Reckhow shows where and how foundation investment in education is occurring and analyzes the effects of these investments within the two largest urban districts, New York City and Los Angeles. In New York City, centralized political control and the use of private resources have enabled rapid implementation of reform proposals. Yet this potent combination of top-down authority and outside funding also poses serious questions about transparency, responsiveness, and democratic accountability in New York. Meanwhile, a slower, but possibly more transformative set of reforms has been taking place in Los Angeles. These reforms were also funded and shaped by major foundations, but they work from the bottom up, through charter school operators managing networks of schools. This strategy has built grassroots political momentum and demand for reform in Los Angeles that is unmatched in New York City and other districts with mayoral control.
Jean Drèze and Amartya Sen
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199257492
- eISBN:
- 9780191717826
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199257492.003.0005
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Development, Growth, and Environmental
This chapter discusses the empowerment and redistributive effects of basic education. Topics covered include: the state of school education; educational hopes and the discouragement effect; female ...
More
This chapter discusses the empowerment and redistributive effects of basic education. Topics covered include: the state of school education; educational hopes and the discouragement effect; female education; universal elementary education; public expenditure and education policy; school quality and the need for accountability; the schooling revolution in Himachal Pradesh; compulsory schooling and the right to education; and education and political action.Less
This chapter discusses the empowerment and redistributive effects of basic education. Topics covered include: the state of school education; educational hopes and the discouragement effect; female education; universal elementary education; public expenditure and education policy; school quality and the need for accountability; the schooling revolution in Himachal Pradesh; compulsory schooling and the right to education; and education and political action.
Gareth Davies
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195373929
- eISBN:
- 9780199852291
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195373929.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics
When they voted for the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB), conservative members of Congress embraced an extraordinary intrusion by the federal government into the affairs of the nation's school ...
More
When they voted for the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB), conservative members of Congress embraced an extraordinary intrusion by the federal government into the affairs of the nation's school districts, which for most of American history had largely governed themselves. The new law instructed states to ensure that all public school children achieve competency in English, math, and science by the year 2014, and threatened them with penalties should they fall short. That conservatives should have supported NCLB reflected, among other factors, the degree to which the politics of education in the early 21st century were framed by a civil rights paradigm, according to which arguments about local control, or about the constitutional propriety of a particular federal initiative, or about the capacity of the federal government to achieve its stated objectives, were easily trumped by arguments about the fundamental rights of all children to educational opportunity. The ultimate origins of that paradigm lie in the tremendous changes in the American political system that occurred during the 1960s and 1970s. This chapter explores the previous world of conservative education politics, a world now long gone. Now, conservatives as well as liberals embrace tough federal mandates and penalties in the name of educational opportunity. Back then, liberals as well as conservatives protested their devotion to the hallowed principle of local control. In that environment, the challenge for liberals was to persuade conservatives that federal aid was compatible with this principle, or that a pressing national emergency compelled Washington to intervene. Generally, though, they failed.Less
When they voted for the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002 (NCLB), conservative members of Congress embraced an extraordinary intrusion by the federal government into the affairs of the nation's school districts, which for most of American history had largely governed themselves. The new law instructed states to ensure that all public school children achieve competency in English, math, and science by the year 2014, and threatened them with penalties should they fall short. That conservatives should have supported NCLB reflected, among other factors, the degree to which the politics of education in the early 21st century were framed by a civil rights paradigm, according to which arguments about local control, or about the constitutional propriety of a particular federal initiative, or about the capacity of the federal government to achieve its stated objectives, were easily trumped by arguments about the fundamental rights of all children to educational opportunity. The ultimate origins of that paradigm lie in the tremendous changes in the American political system that occurred during the 1960s and 1970s. This chapter explores the previous world of conservative education politics, a world now long gone. Now, conservatives as well as liberals embrace tough federal mandates and penalties in the name of educational opportunity. Back then, liberals as well as conservatives protested their devotion to the hallowed principle of local control. In that environment, the challenge for liberals was to persuade conservatives that federal aid was compatible with this principle, or that a pressing national emergency compelled Washington to intervene. Generally, though, they failed.
Jesse H. Rhodes
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780801449710
- eISBN:
- 9780801464195
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9780801449710.003.0002
- Subject:
- Education, Educational Policy and Politics
This chapter examines the initial bout of educational entrepreneurship that gave rise to a new focus on education reform, especially at the state level, during the 1980s. It begins by briefly ...
More
This chapter examines the initial bout of educational entrepreneurship that gave rise to a new focus on education reform, especially at the state level, during the 1980s. It begins by briefly discussing some of the contextual factors attending the emergence of excellence in education in American education politics. It then shows how business entrepreneurs, civil rights entrepreneurs, educational conservatives, and state leaders mobilized to promote a vision of excellence in education. Next, it analyzes key themes of the excellence-in-education paradigm, illustrating how these four groups linked extant political conditions, educational challenges, and school practices in a narrative that legitimated new forms of government involvement in schools. The final section of the chapter examines how elected officials, state governments, and educational liberals responded to the rise of the new agenda.Less
This chapter examines the initial bout of educational entrepreneurship that gave rise to a new focus on education reform, especially at the state level, during the 1980s. It begins by briefly discussing some of the contextual factors attending the emergence of excellence in education in American education politics. It then shows how business entrepreneurs, civil rights entrepreneurs, educational conservatives, and state leaders mobilized to promote a vision of excellence in education. Next, it analyzes key themes of the excellence-in-education paradigm, illustrating how these four groups linked extant political conditions, educational challenges, and school practices in a narrative that legitimated new forms of government involvement in schools. The final section of the chapter examines how elected officials, state governments, and educational liberals responded to the rise of the new agenda.
Jesse H. Rhodes
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- August 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780801449710
- eISBN:
- 9780801464195
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Cornell University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7591/cornell/9780801449710.003.0003
- Subject:
- Education, Educational Policy and Politics
This chapter focuses on the period between 1989–1992, which was marked by important shifts in the politics of education reform in the United States. It first examines the response of the states to ...
More
This chapter focuses on the period between 1989–1992, which was marked by important shifts in the politics of education reform in the United States. It first examines the response of the states to excellence in education, showing how federalism promoted an uneven and fragmented response to excellence policies touted by business entrepreneurs, civil rights entrepreneurs, educational conservatives, and state leaders. It then illustrates how the various proponents of excellence in education responded to these trends, and how these reactions shaped the subsequent development of education policy in the United States. It reviews the political debate surrounding America 2000, to show that George H. W. Bush's failure to rally a cross-partisan coalition accounts for its unhappy legislative denouement. It suggests that despite the fracas over America 2000, the events that transpired between 1989 and 1992 laid the groundwork for federal standards, testing, and accountability reforms in the future. Having developed powerful organizations and network ties, the proponents of standards-based reform were well positioned to shape the progress of education policymaking during the Clinton presidency.Less
This chapter focuses on the period between 1989–1992, which was marked by important shifts in the politics of education reform in the United States. It first examines the response of the states to excellence in education, showing how federalism promoted an uneven and fragmented response to excellence policies touted by business entrepreneurs, civil rights entrepreneurs, educational conservatives, and state leaders. It then illustrates how the various proponents of excellence in education responded to these trends, and how these reactions shaped the subsequent development of education policy in the United States. It reviews the political debate surrounding America 2000, to show that George H. W. Bush's failure to rally a cross-partisan coalition accounts for its unhappy legislative denouement. It suggests that despite the fracas over America 2000, the events that transpired between 1989 and 1992 laid the groundwork for federal standards, testing, and accountability reforms in the future. Having developed powerful organizations and network ties, the proponents of standards-based reform were well positioned to shape the progress of education policymaking during the Clinton presidency.
Theodore Zeldin
- Published in print:
- 1977
- Published Online:
- March 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780198221258
- eISBN:
- 9780191678424
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198221258.003.0004
- Subject:
- History, European Modern History
This chapter focuses on the history of education in France. It reviews of some of the main ideas which inspired the advocates of popular education, and the reasons why the movement bred so much ...
More
This chapter focuses on the history of education in France. It reviews of some of the main ideas which inspired the advocates of popular education, and the reasons why the movement bred so much frustration and disappointment, even though it succeeded in bringing all children into schools. It discusses the different forces in French education that led to the use of techniques which made the relation between school and the world outside it distinctly formal and uncompromising. It also considers moral and civic training, which was the heart of the new primary education developed by the Third Republic. Primary education came to be accepted, and demanded, as the essential basis of human dignity and equality, and it became the indispensable stepping-stone to advancement and social mobility. By joining forces with ambition, it emerged as one of the forces which affected society most powerfully.Less
This chapter focuses on the history of education in France. It reviews of some of the main ideas which inspired the advocates of popular education, and the reasons why the movement bred so much frustration and disappointment, even though it succeeded in bringing all children into schools. It discusses the different forces in French education that led to the use of techniques which made the relation between school and the world outside it distinctly formal and uncompromising. It also considers moral and civic training, which was the heart of the new primary education developed by the Third Republic. Primary education came to be accepted, and demanded, as the essential basis of human dignity and equality, and it became the indispensable stepping-stone to advancement and social mobility. By joining forces with ambition, it emerged as one of the forces which affected society most powerfully.
