On behalf of several members of the NZARE - New Zealand Association for Research in Education Education Policy SIG, Tom Haig and I presented our submission to the Charter Schools Bill Select Committee yesterday. We pointed out that: * NZ schools already have some of the highest levels of choice and autonomy in the world (in terms of school governance, curriculum and assessment) and that Charter schools would do little to address the highly uneven schooling experiences and outcomes already in our schools. * The international research from countries which have introduced charter schools confirms that profit-driven companies in education lead to more unequal schooling outcomes. Sweden's free schools (Friskolor), for example, have been declared a 'system failure' after 30 years with growing evidence of dropping standards and deep dissatisfaction by parents. see https://lnkd.in/geMfztQS
Great to work with you on this Bronwyn, felt like we got some important points across and cool to see some of them picked up by RNZ this morning. Hope the committee makes some much needed changes to the bill.
Great work, Bronwyn! Your work here is a great example of what we are currently trying to characterise in a paper about academic freedom and academics' role/duty as critics and conscience of society (a requirement in the Education Act 2020 of universities, but which must necessarily be enacted by individual academics) and its relationship to 'public good' education. Sadly these concepts are all to often misunderstood and disparaged in our current society. It is vital that governmental decisions heed good advice based on actual evidence and I sincerely hope they listen to you!
Sounds like you have interesting stuff to handle, Tom! Give your family my best wishes. I shall always remember M and the “kids”.
Thank you, Bronwyn for your sterling work around this issue. Charter Schools have no place in our education system.
Great work both. Keep making the inroads!!
Awesome work Bronwyn, pleased to see experts presenting in this matter.
Well done Bron.
Strategy. Insight. Philosophy.
2moThose two points seem to be about state schools rather than the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of charter schools.