This paper evaluates the recent education reforms in the United Kingdom (UK) in terms of their contribution to the establishment of an equitable system of education income distribution. The UK education market as it exists today was set in motion by a package of reforms introduced as a result of the 1988 Education Reform Act. That legislation was…

The emphasis in recent British educational legislation (primarily the 1988 Education Act) has been on the creation of an "internal market" to stimulate improvements in educational outcomes and provide efficiency and accountability. The internal market mechanism allows schools to manage their own budgets and personnel and to create…

There has been much recent debate in both educational and political circles about the utility of choice as a means of improving the educational system. This book argues that any discussion of choice must address choice in public schools. The book is organized into seven chapters. Chapter 1 provides an overview of choice in public education,…

The assumption that educational freedom is solely defined by freedom to choose a school is challenged in this paper. Based on the concept of a "system" of interdependent freedoms, a case study of the French school choice program adopted in 1959 is presented. Methodology involved longitudinal documentary analysis of primary sources…

The Parental Choice in Education Initiative was defeated by California voters in a statewide special election in November 1993. The stated purpose of the initiative was to enable parents to choose their children's schools. This document summarizes the provisions of the initiative, analyzes its policy and fiscal impact, and reviews supporting and…

The study examined whether a change in school site affected the school attendance of 13 male Chicano gang members, 13 to 18 years of age, admitted to a community-based delinquency and gang violence prevention project. Since an active Alternative Studies Program, designed for students with special learning problems or for working students, already…

This two-page fact sheet is introduced by Department of Education Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, who states that she recognizes the contribution that nonpublic schools make towards the educational excellence and strength of our society, and that the Department is committed to ensuring that private school students and teachers…

This paper provides a basic understanding of the Pell Grant program and summarizes the evidence regarding its effectiveness. The Basic Educational Opportunities Program, known as the Pell Grant program, began in 1973 as a means of providing disadvantaged students access to a postsecondary education. The Pell Grant program has tried to keep up with…

This article describes a study of enrollment patterns under the Massachusetts open enrollment law as of fall 1992. Results from 33, districts with 20 or more school-choice transfers, show that families generally enroll children in schools with higher indicators of performance and higher socioeconomic status. (SLD)

Provides an overview of school choice strategies. Examines the possible impact of choice on African American and poor children. Reviews recently passed Wisconsin legislation that allows for state-funded private school choice for a selected number of poor and minority children, thus addressing the needs of educationally disenfranchised groups. (AF)

In 1990, a U.S. study group visited primary and secondary schools in urban and disadvantaged areas throughout England, finding implications for U.S. education. England is trying to upgrade standards by implementing a national curriculum and a national assessment system. Both England and the U.S. are concerned with improving school climate and…

Considers the criticism that recent reforms involving school choice and diversity do not adequately address issues of educational equity in Great Britain. Outlines a series of three reforms that could make the system more equitable given the assumption that school choice is desirable. Examines and criticizes these assumptions. (MJP)

Today, school reform efforts that called for the expansion of school choice options for American families and their children are based upon the theory that the ability to select among educational alternatives was connected to rights and privileges guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution. As a part of a national movement toward increased school…

This paper details the impact of New Labour's neo-liberal social and educational policies on disadvantaged groups in the district of Thanet. It notes that the post-welfare policy responses to social and educational problems reinforce both the disadvantages of deprived groups and the gradient of popularity among secondary schools within the…

This study used an open-ended structured interview to investigate seven parents' of students with disabilities perceptions of charter schools and why they chose this type of school to educate their child. Findings showed a general theme of parents believing that the traditional area public school did not meet their child's needs in terms of size,…