Routledge Education, Reform and the State: Twenty Five Years of Politics, Policy and Practice

The last quarter of the twentieth century was a very important period in history of education. Beginning with the so-called 'Great Debate', the period witnessed intense public and political interest in educational issues, culminating in an almost unprecedented amount of education-related legislation, the most symbolic of which was the Education Reform Act of 1988. Some scholars have rightly claimed that the education system was 'transformed' during this period, pointing to major changes in the ways in which schools, further education colleges and universities were organised, managed and controlled. Others have claimed that these changes altered the power relationships which had underpinned the education system since 1944. Given the sheer scale and pace of the education-policy related reforms of this period, this edited collection brings together some of the leading scholars in education to reflect on the major legislative and structural changes in education over the past few decades. Published in the year of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Callaghan's Ruskin College speech in 1976, it provides a definitive contemporary history of education policy in the late twentieth century. The editors bring together some of the leading educationalists to reflect on the major legislative and structural changes in the field over the last twenty five years. The book will be of use to education students on undergraduate and postgraduate courses, as well as students and academics working in social policy. From the Back Cover Over the past twenty-five years, education has been transformed as it has moved to the centre of the political stage. There has been intense public and political interest in educational issues and there have been major changes in the ways in which schools, further education colleges and universities are organised and controlled. Education, Reform and the State provides the definitive contemporary history of education policy. The book brings together leading scholars to reflect on the major legislative and structural changes in education. Chapters include: -- Education, the state and the politics of reform: the historical context -- Creating a mass system of higher education -- The reinvention of teacher professionalism -- Empowerment or performativity? -- Gender and education policy Education, Reform and the State combines contemporary history and policy analysis in a unique way, providing students of education policy, academics and researchers with important reference material.