ABSTRACT
Given the complex and multifaceted nature of primary and secondary school reform, it is hardly a surprise that reform efforts have come in every shape, size, and variety. The task in this chapter is to explore some of the more prominent examples of nonfinancial school reforms. This exploration is intended to produce information regarding the relative efficacy of different types of reform, particularly in terms of government’s changing role in the market for primary and secondary education. In order to make our task more manageable, we focus on two generically broad types of reform: outcomes-or standards-based education, and general administrative-type reforms.1 Within the scope of these broad categories are other types of reforms such as charter schools, which will also be mentioned and briefly analyzed.
