Suchergebnisse

BOSTON'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS HAVE LONG DRAWN NATIONAL ATTENTION IN EDUCATIONAL AND POLITICAL STUDIES AND MORE RECENTLY IN LEGAL ACCOUNTS OF DESEGREGATION. WITH THE RISE OF REMEDIAL LAW, THE MATURATION OF PUBLIC UNIONS, AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF CONSTITUENCIES, THE TRADITIONAL CONCEPT OF ORGANIZATIONAL RATIONALITY HAS BEEN EFFECTIVELY UNDERMINED FOR PROFESSIONALS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

IN DECEMBER 1993 A LAW KNOWN AS FINANZIARA 1993 WAS APPROVED BY THE ITALIAN LEGISLATURE. A MINOR ARTICLE OF THIS LAW, ARTICLE 4, INTRODUCED A REVOLUTION IN THE ITALIAN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, SINCE IT REQUIRED THAT EACH SINGLE SCHOOL SHOULD BE ALLOWED "FINANCIAL, ORGANIZATIONAL AND EDUCATIONAL AUTONOMY." THE BRIEF STATEMENT OF ARTICLE 4 CHALLENGED THE TRADITIONAL HIERARCHAL AND CENTRALIST ASSUMPTIONS OF THE ITALIAN SYSTEM IN FAVOR OF AN APPROACH BASED ON LOCAL AUTONOMY. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS LAW MIGHT BE FAR MORE REVOLUTIONARY THAN ANY INTERVENTION SUGGESTED BY HOPES FOR CHANGE. ALTHOUGH, IN 1996, ARTICLE 4 IS DEAD, THE IDEA OF AUTONOMY IS NOT. MANY ARE AFRAID THAT AUTONOMY MIGHT LEAD TO THE DESTRUCTION OF A SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WORKS BETTER THAN MOST - FOR INSTANCE, BETTER THAN THE U.S. SYSTEM WHICH HAS LOCAL AUTONOMY AS A TRADEMARK.

Critically assesses Roy Cordato's attempt (1992) to develop a theory of Austrian welfare & an alternative paradigm to neoclassical welfare theory by creating a general theory of welfare & efficiency that is divorced from perfect competition or any notion of general equilibrium. Cordato's assessment of Murray Rothbard's "Toward a Reconstruction of Utility and Welfare Economics" (1956), which offered both an alternative foundation for welfare theory & criticism of new welfare economics, is discussed. Cordato criticizes Rothbard for failing to include psychic utility loss in his free-market benchmark & for ignoring the problem of interpersonal utility. It is concluded that Cordato does not provide any solutions to the problems of neoclassical welfare economics. Adapted from the source document.

THE AUTHORS DEVELOP A FRAMEWORK FOR EQUITY ANALYSIS THAT HIGHLIGHTS CHOICES AND INTERPRETS THE CHOICES AS VALUE JUDGEMENTS. THEY CONCLUDE WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE POLICY IMPLICATIONS OF THE CONFLICTING EVALUATIONS OF SCHOOL FINANCE EQUITY.

OVER THE LAST DECADE, PUBLIC CONCERN ABOUT EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. IN RESPONSE TO THIS CONCERN, NUMEROUS EFFORTS HAVE BEEN INITIATED TO REFORM PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION. AMONG THE MOST VISIBLE REFORMS PROPOSED HAVE BEEN A VARIETY OF PLANS TO MAXIMIZE PARENTAL CHOICE AND PRIVATIZE EDUCATION. THIS ARTICLE DESCRIBES AND ANALYZES A WIDE RANGE OF CHOICE PROPOSALS IN TERMS OF FOUR VARIABLES: THE PROPOSED ORGANIZATION OF SCHOOLS, STUDENT ELIGIBILITY, SCHOOL AUTONOMY, AND FUNDING METHODS AND LEVELS. THIS ARTICLE CONCLUDES THAT DESPITE MAJOR EFFORTS TO INTRODUCE GRATER CHOICE INTO EDUCATION, IT IS NOT IMMEDIATELY APPARENT THAT CHOICE REFORMS WILL HAVE A MAJOR EFFECT INT EH NEAR FUTURE ON WHAT HAPPENS IN MOST SCHOOLS AND CLASSROOMS.

THIS ARTICLE FRAMES THE QUESTION OF SPECIAL EDUCATION IN THE LARGER QUESTION WHETHER ALL CHILDREN ARE RECEIVING A BETTER EDUCATION SINCE THE PASSAGE OF PUBLIC LAW 94-142. IT IS URGED THAT THE STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE ATTENDED TO. THESE INCLUDE: HIGH TEACHER EXPECTATIONS, HIGH SENCE OF EFFICACY, CLEARLY COMMUNICATED RULES FOR SOCIAL BEHAVIOR, OR DISCIPLINE, STRONG ADMINISTRATIVE LEADERSHIP, PARENT SUPPORT, AND INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY THAT MAXIMIZES STUDENT WORK.

THIS ARTICLE EXAMINES THE CHANGES IN PUBLIC SCHOOL GOVERNANCE CAUSED BY THE INCREASE OF COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BY PUBLIC-SCHOOL TEACHERS OVER THE LAST DECADE. IT IS ARGUED THAT BY BRINGING TEACHERS AND SCHOOL BOARDS INTO DIRECT CONFRONTATION OVER MATTERS OF PERSONNEL AND EDUCATIONAL POLICY, COLLECTIVE BARGAINING HAS REVITALIZED SCHOOL BOARDS.