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In Britain, as in other advanced industrial societies, such as the US, education is high on the public policy agenda. The concern is about how to maintain and improve educational standards. The right aims to give more power to parents as consumers in the education market-place, on the ostensible grounds of demanding better educational standards for their own children. The left aims to involve parents in educational processes in order to make schooling more effective.
This book reviews the evidence that has been amassed over the last 40 to 50 years in order to evaluate these two sets of claims about how to improve educational provision. Various public policy strategies have been pursued to develop schooling in conjunction with families. Social scientists have been involved in evaluating recent education reforms, especially over parental choice and involvement.
The book also reviews the effects that changing family structures, such as the growth of lone-parent families and maternal employment, have on educational opportunities and performance. It considers the impacts on both children and parents, especially mothers. It concludes with a consideration of the future of education reforms in the light of changing family structures and asks whether social and sexual inequalities are likely to be exacerbated by current trends.
List of contents
Acknowledgements.
1. Introduction: Parents, Education Reforms and Social Research.
2. The Family Policy Context: The War over the Family and Family Life Changes: 1944-1992.
3. The Education Policy Context: The Idea of a `Meritocracy' from 1944-1976.
4. The Education Policy Context: The Idea of a `Parentocracy' from 1976-1992.
5. Parents and Education: The Social Democractic Reformer-Researcher Partnersip over Equal Opportunities.
6. A Parental `Voice' in Education as Community, or Consumer, Involvement?. 7. Parental or Family Choice of School, or of Education. 8. Parental Involvement for School Effectiveness or Home Improvement?. 9. Mothers in Education, or Mum's the Word?. 10. Debating the Effects of Family Changes and Circumstances on Children's Education. 11. Conclusions: Family Changes, Social Research and Education Reforms.
Bibliography.
Index.
Index of Authors.
About the author
Miriam David is Director of the Social Sciences Research Centre and Head of Research in Legal, Political and Social Sciences in the Business School at the South Bank University.
Summary
aeo Brings together all the material about parents and education (including adult education) previously found only in disparate places. aeo Adds a distinctive perspective highlighting gender issues, which have had their origins in changes in family life and their effects on education. aeo Important contribution to a key debate.
