School Choice around the World . and the Lessons We Can Learn

by Pauline Dixon, Steve Humble

Overview

This volume of essays examines the empirical evidence on school choice in different countries across Europe, North America, sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. It demonstrates the advantages which choice offers in different institutional contexts, whether it be Free Schools in the UK, voucher systems in Sweden or private-proprietor schools for low-income families in Liberia. Everywhere experience suggests that parents are ‘active choosers’: they make rational and considered decisions, drawing on available evidence and responding to incentives which vary from context to context. Government educators frequently downplay the importance of choice and try to constrain the options parents have. But they face increasing resistance: the evidence is that informed parents drive improvements in school quality. Where state education in some developing countries is particularly bad, private bottom-up provision is preferred even though it costs parents money which they can ill-afford. This book is both a collection of inspiring case studies and a call to action.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780255367790
Publisher:	London Publishing Partnership
Publication date:	08/31/2019
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	5.04(w) x 7.80(h) x 0.62(d)

About the Author

Pauline Dixon is Professor of International Development and Education at Newcastle University, where she obtained her doctorate. She has been carrying out research into schooling in developing countries for almost twenty years. Professor Dixon has undertaken research projects that include large-scale surveys and census mapping and the testing of children around the world in various subjects, including creativity and motivation. In Delhi her research has examined the teaching of English through phonics and assisting in the implementation, running and testing of an education voucher scheme. Her book International Aid and Private Schools for the Poor: Smiles, Miracles and Markets was named one of the top 100 books by the Times Literary Supplement. Professor Dixon received a Luminary Award from the Free Market Foundation of South Africa.

Table of Contents

About the authors ix

Foreword xiv

Summary xx

Tables and figures xxii

1 Introduction Pauline Dixon Steve Humble 1

2 English education reform: past, present and future Toby Young 8

PISA 9

Academies 13

Free Schools 16

Ofsted 19

University access 22

Grammar schools 25

Curriculum and exam reforms 31

Research 37

'No Excuses' 39

References 42

3 The powers and limits of a national school voucher system: the case of Sweden Nick Cowen 46

Overview and history 48

Funding 49

Extent 50

The good 52

The bad 54

The debate 55

The limits of choice 56

Internationella Engelska Skolan vs. Kunskapsskolan 58

Why does this matter? 60

Human capital vs. signalling 62

Possible ways forward 64

References 67

4 Improving civil society through private school choice: a review of the US evidence Corey A. DeAngelis Patrick J. Wolf 71

Theory 75

Review content 79

Tolerance 79

Civic engagement 81

Social order 84

Overall results 85

Need for further research 86

Conclusion and policy implications 86

References 88

5 Global ideas, national values and local policies: Estonian school choice policy design Kaire Põder Triin Lauri 94

Introduction 94

Estonia's achievements on the world stage 96

How the current educational system stems from historical legacies 98

Implicit school choice: policy learning from Europe 101

Controversial policy but good outcomes 107

Conclusion 112

References 114

6 School choice in Liberia Pauline Dixon Steve Humble 117

Introduction 117

Historical contexts 118

School choice for the poor in the slums of Monrovia 120

Partnership schools for Liberia 126

Summary 128

References 129

7 Poor parents are careful choosers: dispelling the myth that school choice harms the poor M. Danish Shakeel Patrick J. Wolf 131

Introduction 131

Private school choice programmes for poor families 133

How poor parents select schools 134

Evidence on educational outcomes from parental selections 140

Conclusion and policy implications 143

References 145

8 Choosing education: evidence from India and towards a transactional ecological approach Chris Counihan 154

Introduction 154

Education unleashed 155

Towards a parental choice ecology 157

Vouchers and choices 161

Policy recommendations and emergent quality factors 166

Conclusion 169

References 170

About the IEA 174