ABSTRACT
Many western nations are experiencing harsh, internal criticisms of their educational systems. Responding to that criticism, governments, educators, and policy analysts are carefully (but perhaps not systematically) evaluating existing practice and structures against desired outcomes. The purpose of this chapter is to develop a basis for analysing and evaluating formal governing structures for education and strategies for allocating ultimate authority over decisions about education. It is assumed that current ‘convoluted and fragmented’ efforts (Hancock, Kirst, and Grossman, 1983) can only aggravate the situation and that no less than a total assessment and redesign of the control and operational structures of education can produce the kind of services required for a new era.
