Understanding the Urban-Rural Education Divide in China: A Knowledge Systems and Leadership Perspective

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 3:45 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Educational Leadership in Rural and Remote Communities

Abstract

This study explores the persistent urban-rural education divide in China through an integrated framework combining structural knowledge systems and leadership paradigms. Drawing on literature from educational policy and leadership theory, the paper identifies three structural dimensions contributing to inequality: economic disparities, governance and implementation gaps, and the sociocultural underrepresentation of rural communities. Through a conceptual analysis of national policy documents, academic research, and empirical reports, the study systematically examines how three major leadership models, government-led, collaborative, and distributed leadership, interact with these structural barriers.

Author

• Mengying Cao, The George Washington University