Explores Florida teachers' failure to accept state-legislated learning models imposed on them. Although 86.7 percent of teachers surveyed identified "reaching" students as the major intrinsic reward in teaching, 74 percent claimed that legislated learning questioned their competency and limited the scope of their work and/or political…

The Irish education system is a privatized, state-funded patchwork, with five separate types of secondary schools whose governance structures vary according to church, state, or local authority ownership. A 1995 government white paper recommends a more coherent governance structure with state, regional, and school-site decision-making levels.…

The Washington-based America 2000 system may be as close to a genuine national network as education in the 1990s will get. Riddled with inconsistencies, the network is becoming a nationwide "meeting-place" for reformers supporting the general concept of educational reform without the financial obligations. America 2000 is a top-down…

The central admissions systems of Victoria (Australia), Great Britain, and Ontario are outlined and analyzed. It is proposed that although these programs are important and their control is in the hands of the governing bodies, little thought is given to their development and they may become more significant than anticipated. (MSE)

Drawing on selected literature about education in seven east Asian countries that have shown remarkable economic development since World War II, this paper considers how the nature of the curriculum might have contributed to these nations' economic growth. The systems are highly centralized, with a curriculum component promoting national goals.…

Examines the impact of teacher unions in two centralized educational systems--France and Israel--on school reforms. Document analysis and interview data suggest that, since 1970, teacher unions in both countries have been demanding and receiving more say in educational policy reforms. Despite similarities in tactics, French unions are more…

The administrative policies in Australian and New Zealand school systems have undergone radical changes in recent years. This article summarizes research into the origins and patterns of the reforms, their progress, and the problems encountered. Holistic reforms were intended to achieve increased economic efficiency, educational effectiveness, and…

This report provides a review of Bulgaria's history as it relates to library collections, and describes the current state of preservation activities at key institutions. The discussion includes: the political history of Bulgaria and its library collections; the Soviet state and its aftermath; economic constraints; decentralization of Bulgaria's…

Major problems facing Korean education are education aimed only at preparation for college-entrance examinations, poor public financial support, heavy costs for parents, a centralized educational-administration system, and program uniformity. Reform strategies include school-based management, a new student-record system, and a curriculum stressing…

Analyzes some policy-practice lessons learned from Britain's Technical and Vocational Education Initiative as its influence diminishes. Considers how TVEI affected the culture of teaching, learning, and curriculum in unintentional ways. Although TVEI's social effects have been limited, the program's legacy is evident; education policy that fails…

This paper describes the experience of a large, complex school system (the Catholic Education System of the Sydney, Australia, Archdiocese) in implementing processes designed to ensure and enhance quality educational outcomes for 62,000 students. The case study details the practice and experience of working at system and school levels over a…

Britain's 1988 Education Reform Act mandates increased centralization (through a national curriculum and testing program) and greater managerial decentralization and competition between schools. This article discusses the role of the central government Department of Education and Science in requiring local education authorities to implement local…

Examines the interplay of political and educational factors influencing current U.S. and British school reform. The dominant characteristic of educational policymaking in both countries is "hyperpoliticalization." Britain's 1988 Education Reform Act, motivated by conservative political considerations, represents a setback to secondary…