The Finite Quality and Dimensions of Autonomy: Policy Makers in England Rethink the Regulation of Education

• In Event: 14.044 - Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: 14.044-1 - An Examination of School Policies in Practice

Abstract

This paper explores the idea of legitimacy and representation in educational autonomy – versus regulation efforts and structures in England. Thirty top-notch senior English education policymakers were interviewed, addressed the terms graphically and conceptually. While literature on autonomy defines it according to whom it is granted, in what areas, and in what scope, this study adds a fourth and fifth dimension: from whom is it taken, and who grants it. The conclusion is that autonomy, not unlike energy, is finite, thus there is some systemic equilibrium between the autonomy of various people, posts, and organizations, and should be analyzed as such, from a regulatory perspective.

Author

• Dan Gibton, Tel Aviv University