ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on education policy. It examines selected policies that have been introduced in three different jurisdictions – England, Sweden and the United States – and the policy goals that underpin them. Three specific goals are explored: equality of opportunity, increased educational standards and school choice. The historical context, policy and goals relating to equality of opportunity in the mid-twentieth century are outlined. More recent goals and policies that can be seen to have been influenced by neo-liberal ideas are then discussed. There are some similarities in terms of the goals in the three countries, but given the differing contexts it is unsurprising to find that the policy instruments vary. In all cases, there are tensions and contradictions between policy goals, in particular between equality of opportunity and goals relating to school choice and increased educational standards.
