Fighting for America’s Schools: Toward a More Democratic Approach

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 973-980
Author(s):  
Stefanie Chambers
Keyword(s):  
Urban Education ◽  
Education Policy ◽  
Coalition Building ◽  
Neoliberal Reforms

This article addresses several questions The Fight for America’s Schools pushes us to consider as scholars of urban education policy. By extrapolating from the themes in the chapters of the book, a number of issues are brought forward in this article. These issues include the challenges of coalition building against neoliberal reforms, the role of philanthropy in education policymaking, and questions about how scholars might engage more as activists in the area of education policymaking. In the end, this article asks scholars to reflect on how our scholarship can move beyond a critique of neoliberal reforms and toward a more democratic approach to education policymaking.

Preserving Education as a Public Good: Lessons from the Grassroots

2019 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 921-929
Author(s):  
Barbara Ferman
Keyword(s):  
High Stakes Testing ◽  
Coalition Building ◽  
Grassroots Activism ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
School Closures ◽  
Neoliberal Reforms ◽  
Historical Factors ◽  
School Expansion ◽  
State Takeovers

The article provides an overview of my book, The Fight for America’s Schools: Grassroots Activism in Education. The book examines how grassroots activists in Pennsylvania and New Jersey challenged various neoliberal reforms in education such as high stakes testing, school closures, state takeovers of local school districts, and charter school expansion. The four case studies focus on who the activists were, how they became involved, the challenges they faced, and the prospects for coalition building across different constituent groups. The comparative analysis reveals the role of political, organizational, demographic, and historical factors in shaping how activism played out in each location and in its effectiveness.

The main directions of educational policy of Finland

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 6-13
Author(s):  
K. E. Stupak ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Education Policy ◽  
Education System ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
The State ◽  
Vocational Education And Training ◽  
State Education Policy ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
State Education

The article deals with analyzing the main streams of the education policy in Finland, which reflect the relationship between a person and society in modern socio–economic conditions. Such policy directs the system of education to change the person and his mind himself. Finland using its education system, has long before been concerned about preparing people for the future by reforming approaches to teaching in schools and higher education institutions. As a result, it has achieved world–wide recognition and top positions in various ratings have resulted. Therefore, today there is a great interest of scientists in certain issues of education functioning in Finland. Thus, G. Androshchuk, V. Butova. I. Zhernokleeva, T. Pushkareva and others study in their works the purpose and decisive role of Finland's education policy in the development of the education system. S. Grinyuk and V. Zagvozdkin pay attention to the practical the steps of reforming the Finnish system of education. T. Drobyshevsk investigates the system of providing educational services in Finland as a sector of knowledge production. L. Volynets, P. Kukharchuk consider the principles of the state education policy of Finland. L. Smolskaya examines the role of the state policy in implementing the "Finnish phenomenon"; P. Basyliuk and Yu. Kulykova, focus attention on the study of the evolution of the system of higher education in Finland; O. Scherbak reveals peculiarities of vocational education and training.

Capitalists against financialization: The battle over German pension funds

2021 ◽  
pp. 102452942199300
Author(s):  
Nils Röper
Keyword(s):  
Pension Funds ◽  
Business Community ◽  
Coalition Building ◽  
Investment Companies ◽  
Political Outcomes ◽  
Strategic Goals ◽  
Old Age Provision ◽  
Political Battle ◽  
The Welfare State

Despite renewed interest in the role of business in shaping the welfare state, we still know little about how factions of capital adapt their strategies and translate these into political infighting and coalition building. Based on a detailed process tracing analysis of the political battle over German pension funds, this paper shows that cleavages within business do not necessarily run along the lines of finance vs. non-finance. While ‘financial challengers’ (banks and investment companies) advocated financialized pension funds, ‘financial incumbents’ (insurers) defended a conservative understanding of old age provision. Tremendous political momentum towards financialization notwithstanding, challengers remained largely unsuccessful. Incumbents elicited support from the wider business community by adjusting their strategic goals and engaging in discursive reformulations to effectively fight pension financialization from within capital. To accommodate such competition politics and coalition building, the paper argues for a more dynamic understanding of business strategizing and highlights the importance of discursive political strategies. It shows that some capitalists may act as antagonists of elements of financialization and problematizes the actual mechanisms of coalition building through which business plurality affects political outcomes.

New Agendas for Special Education Policy: What the National Reports Haven't Said

1987 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 295-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marleen Pugach ◽  
Mara Sapon-Shevin
Keyword(s):  
Special Education ◽  
Education Policy ◽  
Educational Reform ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Special Education Policy ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Relationship

The calls for educational reform that have dominated the professional and lay literature for the past few years have been decidedly silent in discussing the role of special education either as a contributor or a solution to the problems being raised. As an introduction to this “Special Focus” on the relationship between general educational reform and special education, this article summarizes some of the more prominent reports with regard to their treatment (and nontreatment) of special education. The impact of proposed reforms for the conceptualization and operation of special education is the subject of the five articles that follow.

scholarly journals Scaling Social Movements Through Social Media: The Case of Black Lives Matter

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 205630511880791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcia Mundt ◽  
Karen Ross ◽  
Charla M Burnett
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Movements ◽  
Potential Role ◽  
Scaling Up ◽  
Coalition Building ◽  
Online Media ◽  
Black Lives Matter ◽  
Careful Management

In this article, we explore the potential role of social media in helping movements expand and/or strengthen themselves internally, processes we refer to as scaling up. Drawing on a case study of Black Lives Matter (BLM) that includes both analysis of public social media accounts and interviews with BLM groups, we highlight possibilities created by social media for building connections, mobilizing participants and tangible resources, coalition building, and amplifying alternative narratives. We also discuss challenges and risks associated with using social media as a platform for scaling up. Our analysis suggests that while benefits of social media use outweigh its risks, careful management of online media platforms is necessary to mitigate concrete, physical risks that social media can create for activists.

scholarly journals PERAN DUNIA USAHA DAN DUNIA INDUSTRI DALAM PENYELENGGARAAN SMK BERBASIS KEARIFAN LOKAL DI KOTA MATARAM

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 162 ◽  
Author(s):  
Indriaturrahmi Indriaturrahmi ◽  
Sudiyatno Sudiyatno
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Education Policy ◽  
Public Relations ◽  
Government Policy ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Regional Government ◽  
Vocational High School ◽  
Analysis Technique ◽  
The City

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui: (1) peran DUDI dalam mendorong produk kebijakan pendidikan Pemda Kota Mataram dalam mengembangkan SMK berbasis kearifan lokal; (2) implementasi penyelenggaraan kebijakan pendidikan SMK yang sesuai dengan kearifan lokal; dan (3) peran DUDI dalam pengembangan SMK. Informan kunci pada penelitian adalah Kepala Dinas Dikmen sub-bagian kepala seksi kurikulum, Kepala Sekolah, Wakasek Humas Industri, Pembimbing Industri, dan Siswa. Teknik pengumpulan data melalui observasi, wawancara mendalam dan dokumentasi. Teknik analisis data meliputi reduksi data, penyajian data dan penarikan kesimpulan. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa: (1) peran DUDI dalam mendorong kebijakan Pemda terkait pengembangan SMK berbasis kearifan lokal belum memadai; (2) implementasi kebijakan Pemda, antara lain: (a) monitoring dan evaluasi, (b) menyediakan unit gedung baru, (c) membuka kompetensi keahlian baru, (d) pemberian dana, (e) mengadakan Gebyar SMK se-Kota Mataram; dan (3) peran DUDI dalam pengembangan SMK antara lain: (a) penyelenggaraan prakerin siswa berjalan dengan baik. b) industri sebagai tempat pemagangan guru, c) industri terlibat dalam uji kompetensi siswa tingkat akhir dan tempat menyalurkan lulusan, d) belum ada kerja sama terkait penyediaan sarana dan prasarana, dan e) pengembangan kurikulum dalam bentuk workshop kurikulum. Kata kunci: peran DUDI, penyelenggaraan SMK, kearifan lokal THE ROLE OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF VOCATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL (VHS) BASED ON LOCAL WISDOM IN THE CITY OF MATARAM Abstract This research aims to know: (1) the role of business and industry in encouraging the product education policy of the local government in Mataram City for developing vocaational high school (VHS) based on local wisdom; (2) the implementation of VHS education policy with an appropriate local wisdom; and (3) the role of business and industry in developing VHS. The key informants in this research were the Head of Secondary Education Curriculum Sub-section, Principal, Vice Principal of Industry Public Relations, Industry Counsellors, and students. The data were collected by observation, in-depth interviews and documentation. The data analysis technique included data reduction, data display and conclusion drawing. The results showed that: (1) the role of business and industry in encouraging the regional government policy related to VHS development based on local wisdom had not been adequate; (2) the implementation of regional government policy were among others: (a) monitoring and evaluation, (b) providing a new building unit, (c) opening new expertise competencies, (d) providing funds, (e) conducting Gebyar SMK in the city of Mataram; and (3) the roles of business and industry in the development of VHS were among others: (a) the implementation of the students’ industrial practice ran well, (b) the industry as the place for teachers’ apprenticeship, (c) the industry was involved in students’ competency test at the end of the students’ study and as an institute which would recruit the graduates, d) there had not been any cooperation related to the provision of facilities and infrastructure, and e) curriculum development in the form of a curriculum workshop. Keywords: the role of business and industry, implementation of VHS, local wisdom

scholarly journals Falling through the Cracks: Deaf New Americans and Their Unsupported Educational Needs

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 35
Author(s):  
Michael A. Schwartz ◽  
Brent C. Elder ◽  
Monu Chhetri ◽  
Zenna Preli
Keyword(s):  
Education Policy ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Gainful Employment ◽  
Disabilities Education Act ◽  
Unique Nature ◽  
New Americans ◽  
Education Act ◽  
Rich Data

Members of the Deaf New American community reported they arrived in the United States with no formal education, unable to read or write in their native language, and had zero fluency in English. Efforts to educate them have floundered, and the study aims to find out why and how to fix the problem. Interviews of eight Deaf New Americans yielded rich data that demonstrates how education policy in the form of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other laws fail to address their needs, because these laws do not include them in their coverage. The study’s main findings are the deleterious effect of the home country’s failure to educate their Deaf citizens, America’s failure to provide accessible and effective instruction, and the combined effect of these institutional failures on the ability of Deaf New Americans to master English and find gainful employment. This article is an argument for a change in education policy that recognizes the unique nature of this community and provides for a role of Deaf educators in teaching Deaf New Americans.

Privatisation and the Development of Tourism in the Czech Republic and Slovakia: Property Rights, Firm Performance, and Recombinant Property

2000 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 715-734 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allan M Williams ◽  
Vladimir Baláž
Keyword(s):  
Czech Republic ◽  
Property Rights ◽  
Financial Services ◽  
Firm Level ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
Neoliberal Reforms ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
Level Performance

Privatisation is one of the key elements of the package of neoliberal reforms in the transition economies of Central and Eastern Europe which collectively constitute the ‘sharp shock’ strategy. In this, privatisation is ascribed the role of redistributing and clarifying property rights, which is an assumed precondition for efficiency improvements in individual firms. In practice, the transformation is characterised by path dependency, cultural and political legacies, and uneven and partial reform of market institutions and of regulation. We contribute to the debate on the link between property rights and firm-level performance in three main ways. First, we analyse the tourism sector as a counterbalance to the emphasis in the existing literature on manufacturing and financial services; particular emphasis is given to the roles of ‘operators’ and the ‘nomenklatura’, and to complex, nonlinear shifts in property rights. Second, we assess the performance of tourism firms created by different forms of creative and distributive privatisation; this emphasises the diversity of property rights, market segmentation, and the capital and debt structures of firms. Third, the value of the concept of ‘recombinant’ property for analysing the complex and changing forms of property rights is critiqued. These arguments are illustrated through a case study of tourism in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

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