School Autonomy Reform and Social Justice in Australian Public Education Final Report, 2023
Version 2 2024-06-03, 00:52
Version 1 2023-09-26, 00:34
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posted on 2024-06-03, 00:52 authored by Amanda KeddieAmanda Keddie, Jillian BlackmoreJillian Blackmore, Jane Wilkinson, Richard Niesche, Scott Eacott, Brad Gobby, Katrina MacDonaldKatrina MacDonaldSchool Autonomy Reform and Social Justice in Australian Public Education Final Report, 2023
Funding
School autonomy reform and social justice: a study of public education in Australia | Grant ID: DP190100190
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engPublication classification
AN Other book, or book not attributed to Deakin UniversityPagination
1-55Research statement
Background There is strong political consensus in Australia, England, Sweden and the United States that greater school autonomy is good for schools - that it frees up schools to respond to local concerns, to be innovative and to drive up academic standards. However, research continues to indicate that there are no definitive links between school autonomy and school improvement an there is evidence to suggest that greater school autonomy within marketised education systems may undermine school improvement. Our project, sought to examine the social justice implications of school autonomy within the Australian public education system. Contribution Our study drew attention to the complex and varied ways in which school autonomy is understood and enacted across and within state systems and schools and contributes to the global literature on school autonomy reform. The study explored how school autonomy reform is shaped by the market imperatives of economic efficiency, competition and choice, and governance demands for external auditing, and the impact this has had on public school systems, schools, principals and teachers. We were interested in exploring the extent to which schools were able (or not) to mobilise their autonomy in socially just ways amid the pressures of the systems in which they exist. Significance This final report of this ARC Discovery project outlines our ten significant findings and draws on the 15 research publications to date from the research (largely in Q1 journals), and 17 conference presentations and public presentations. This report was launched at a panel discussion of esteemed guests including Barry McGaw (OECD), Meredith Peace (AEU), Trevor Cobbold (Save our Schools) and Andrew Pierpoint (ASPA). Our publication record indicates the significance of this research and this final report draws together our findings and provides recommendations for systems and policy makes.Publisher
Research for Educational Impact, Deakin UniversityPlace of publication
Melbourne, Vic.Usage metrics
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