Politics, markets, and America's schools

TLDR

During the 1980s widespread dissatisfaction with America’s schools spurred aggressive reforms, yet Chubb and Moe argue that the root problem lies not in schools but in the institutions of direct democratic control that traditionally governed them. The authors contend that existing reforms will fail and propose a new system centered on parent‑student choice and school competition to foster autonomy and improve student achievement. They propose a public education system organized around parent‑student choice and school competition to enhance school autonomy and student outcomes. The authors find that reforms fail because the institutions themselves are the problem.

Abstract

During the 1980s, widespread dissatisfaction with America's schools gave rise to a powerful movement for educational change, and the nation's political institutions responded with aggressive reforms. Chubb and Moe argue that these reforms are destined to fail because they do not get to the root of the problem. The fundamental causes of poor academic performance, they claim, are not to be found in the schools, but rather in the institutions of direct democratic control by which the schools have traditionally been governed. Reformers fail to solve the problem-when the institutions ARE the problem. The authors recommend a new system of public education, built around parent-student choice and school competition, that would promote school autonomy thus providing a firm foundation for genuine school improvement and superior student achievement.