School Autonomy Reform and Social Justice in Australian Public Education

• In Event: Moscone Center West Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Social Justice Leadership: Troubling Frameworks, Reform, and Restoration

Abstract

There is strong political consensus in the USA, Australia and England that greater school autonomy will drive up academic standards. Advocates claim that localized governance and decision-making generates more effective public education. Counter-evidence shows that the market imperatives of competition and choice accompanying greater self-management have increased inequalities at both system and school levels internationally.
The paper begins to redress this inadequate conceptualization of school autonomy, and lack of empirical evidence of the social justice implications of this reform.
Drawing on interview data from key leadership stakeholders, it highlights some of the ‘autonomy effects’ at system and school levels, based on the first year of a three year study of school autonomy reform and social justice in Australian education systems.

Authors

• Jane Jane Wilkinson, Monash University

• Amanda Keddie, Deakin University

• Jillian Anne Blackmore, Professor, Deakin University

• Richard Niesche, University of New South Wales, Australia

• Scott Eacott, University of New South Wales

• Brad Gobby, Curtin University

• Katrina MacDonald, Deakin University

• Caroline Mahoney, Deakin University