“Now It Feels Like Faceless Corporations”: Public Sentiment About the Elimination of Elected School Boards

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 11:45 am - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Participation and Power: Global Perspectives on Voice and Rights in Education Governance

Abstract

Several Canadian provinces have recently eliminated elected school boards, while others continue to debate their proper role. A public opinion survey of 1,002 Nova Scotia residents was conducted to determine how the elimination of elected school boards in that province has affected the functioning of schools. Respondents reported that since the elimination of elected school boards, the school system has become less responsive and transparent, with decision-making increasingly centralized in the hands of the provincial government and away from local communities. While there was overall dissatisfaction with the current system of governance, views diverged depending on whether the respondent was a current or recent parent of a child in the K-12 education system.

Authors

• Sachin Maharaj, University of Ottawa

• Meg Garrard, University of Ottawa