Examines reasons why the postwar secondary education system of Italy has remained static and specialized despite dramatic changes in the demands placed on it and the strong consensus in favor of reform toward comprehensive schooling. (Author/SJL)

One of the most significant educational reforms in Western Europe during the last two decades has been the attempt to create a system of comprehensive secondary schools. The traditional approach to secondary education was characterized by a highly stratified formal system in which students were allocated to academic, commercial, or vocational…