Privatizing Education: Can The School Marketplace Deliver Freedom Of Choice, Efficiency, Equity, And Social Cohesion?

Privatizing Educationis a collection of essays written by such luminaries as Martin Carnoy, Christopher Connell, Wendy Connors, Fred Doolittle, Pearl Rock Kane, Frank Kemerer, Christopher Lauricella, Arthur Levine, Ellen Magenheim, Patrick McEwan, Lee D. Mitgang, David Myers, Gary Natriello, Caroline Persell, Mark Schneider, Janelle Scott, Geoffrey Walford, and Amy Stuart Wells who examine the efforts of some educators, reformers, investors, and political groups to move education from the public to the private sector. This is occurring through tuition tax credits, voucher initiatives, and for-profit, educational management organizations. The volume grows out of a conference that took place at Columbia University's Teachers College which launched the National Center for the Study of Privatization in Education.

Table of Contents:
Introduction * Chapter 1: Studying Privatization in Education Henry M. Levin * Introduction * Setting the Agenda * Chapter 2: Educational Vouchers and The Media Lee D. Mitgang and Christopher V. Connell * The Stakes and The Stakeholders * The Medias Challenges * What Can Be Done? Implementation Issues * Chapter 3: The Legal Status of Privatization and Vouchers in Education Frank R. Kemerer * Privatization Within the Public Sector * Vouchers, Tax Deductions, and Tax Credits * Stakeholders and The Research Agenda * Summary * Chapter 4: Information and Choice in Educational Privatization Mark Schneider * Parents as Stakeholders: Choice at the Individual Level * The Benefits and Costs of Gathering Information about Public Goods * Not Everyone Needs to Be Informed: The Concept of the Marginal Consumer * The Role of Other Stakeholders in the Provision of Information * The Role of Other Levels of Government and Business as Stakeholders * Increasing Information Levels * Constructing an Internet Site for Washington, DC Schools * Stratification in the Use of Information * Setting an Agenda for Schools and Information Preschools and Higher Education * Chapter 5: Preschools and Privatization Ellen Magenheim * Introduction * Who Are the Stakeholders with an Interest in This Issue and What Are Their Interests and Concerns? * What Types of Studies Might Address These Concerns? * Conclusions * Chapter 6: Privatization in Higher Education Arthur Levine * The Major Actors * The Implications for Higher Education * Research Questions International Dimensions * Chapter 7: Privatization Through Vouchers in Developing Countries: The Cases of Chile and Colombia Martin Carnoy and Patrick J. McEwan * Introduction * Vouchers and Reform in Chile, 1980-1996 * Lessons from the Chilean Voucher Plan * Targeted Vouchers in Colombia * Lessons from the Colombian Voucher Plan * Conclusions * Chapter 8: Privatization in Industrialized Countries Geoffrey Walford * Introduction * Privatization in England

About the Author :
Henry Levin