Schools, Scapegoats, and Skills: educational Reform and the Economy

Abstract

Much of the rhetoric concerning educational reform has focused on the role of education in improving economic competitiveness and productivity. This article notes some of the difficulties in assuming strong links between education and the economy, especially given our limited understanding of the relationship of education and job skills. These difficulties raise serious policy issues about the aims of public education and the relationship(s) of schools to other institutions.

Global Trends in Local Contexts: a South African perspective on competence debates

“…Though development experiences elsewhere have called into question early human capital assumptions that investment in education could spearhead growth, a range of research studies on education and development indicate some support for arguments that there are links between education and development (see Psacharopoulos & Woodhall, 1985;Haddad et al, 1990;Samoff, 1994). However, this is not to support micro-economic assumptions that there are specific links between schools, skills and development, as Porter et al ably argue against (see also Berg, 1971;McGregor, 1994;Paris, 1994). Moreover, as Brown & Lauder (1996) point out, it is more important to focus on the ways in which skills are linked to economic development trajectories than to concentrate on questions of skill formation.…”

Deprofessionalization of curriculum decision-making

“…The responsibility for the transformation [of schools] must be assumed by all sectors of society, including employers (Paris, 1994). As policymakers at the state level continue to increase the restrictions of the Florida K-20 Education Code, there needs to be an opportunity for feedback from the district and school level as to how the nature of the state exam is beginning to control the facets of education in Miami-Dade County.…”

“…According to Paris (1994) a current or future gap in skills is likely more a function of changes in demands of the changing nature of work rather than a change in the skills students gain while in school.…”

“…Changes in management of and training in businesses must accompany school reform if schools are expected to prepare learners for the work force (Paris, 1994).…”

“…The negative affects consist of too much emphasis on performance, too much external control is driving educational decisions, and a reversion to an emphasis on basic skill acquisition (Blum, 2000). As Paris (1994) Public school accountability is aimed at increasing student performance by improving the way schools function (O'Day, 2002). An assumption in the accountability movement is that accountability factors have a positive impact on student learning and more effective classroom instruction (Lashway, 2001).…”