This study evaluated a pilot project for privatizing or outsourcing remedial education programs in the state of Maryland. The program was conducted by the mathematics department at Howard Community College and Sylvan Learning Systems, a Baltimore-based tutoring company, and covered four periods the summer, spring, and fall semesters of 1995 and…

From first-grade lessons promoting the products of Fortune 500 companies to education reform designed to suit the interests of big business, corporations are being granted more and more power to determine what happens in our schools. This book explores the implications of this trend, examining everything from advertising aimed at children to…

One of the ideas frequently offered for the improvement of American education, privatization, has the advantage of conforming to the popular beliefs that markets produce better results than do government entities. This popular support has been a major reason for the willingness of local officials to consider changes that dismantle or supersede…

This book presents a collection of essays from prominent administrators and influential thinkers in higher education who offer their prescriptions for responding to the challenges imposed by higher costs and reduced revenue expectations. Innovative improvements in the operating efficiency in such areas as administration and support services,…

The five essays in this book criticize the "deadening heart" of compulsory state schooling, described as a series of assumptions and structures that stamp out the self-knowledge, curiosity, concentration and solitude essential to learning--a system wherein education and schooling are mutually exclusive terms. The book argues that between schooling…

This paper addresses school choice, one proposal to address parental involvement concerns, focusing on historical background, definitions, rationale for advocating choice, implementation strategies, and implications for minorities and low-income families. In the past, transfer payment programs such as tuition tax credits and vouchers were…

Claims that public education in Mexico is in severe crisis. Indicates the wealthy have opted out of public education and the poor are dropping out. Argues that reforms to address poor quality and inequalities are being sidestepped. Proposes a more inclusive educational approaches to provide quality education for all. (CAJ)

Explores the extent to which public policy commitments toward community participation are realized in Malawi. Finds that the main motivation for participation is extractive rather than genuine attempts to encourage local ownership and accountability. Argues that marketization of community participation signifies the entrenchment of individual…

College and university liability for unrelated business income tax (UBIT) is increasing as institutions embrace new income-producing possibilities, such as facility rentals, management contracts, affinity credit cards, exclusivity arrangements for sales on campus, and alumni travel programs. Common tax and legal issues related to these…

Maintains that the continued acceptance of market principles combined with reductions in government services has created a selfish citizenry. In education, this is personified in the activist parent who is interested in his own child's education but indifferent to others. Discusses how civic education can respond to this. (MJP)

Businesses are entering education because they believe they can do a better job with a higher quality of service. Describes the emerging education industry, examines reasons for the growth, offers a glimpse into the future, and suggests some criteria school business officials can use to evaluate privately delivered services. (MLF)

Discusses the legal issues related to privatization. States with "charter" schools have not established guidelines for local school districts entering into privatization contracts for services. It is argued that public schools operate under state law, and therefore, vendors operating under state law become de facto public companies, making the…

Analyzes the Baltimore Public School District's contract with a private for-profit company to manage the instructional programs of nine schools. It shows that the award of the contract was solely a political consideration; no financial experts were involved. Additionally, the program has not improved test scores and is being challenged by the…

Suggests that children, as the nation's most precious social resource, are the shared responsibility of parents and government. Argues that current efforts to scale back social welfare programs in Canada need to be reversed, so as to provide children, and families with children, a decent minimum standard of living. (MDM)

A discussion of the economics of higher education in developed and developing countries looks at these issues: increasing costs, spending in comparison with level of development, public subsidization, access, proportion of spending on salaries, higher education as investment, funding sources, cost reduction, and strategies for shifting cost…