ABSTRACT
The primary duty of local education authorities is to ensure that there are sufficient schools and teachers to provide efficient education to meet the needs of the population of their area. The role of the local education authority is changing, however, and is likely to face further change in the near future. Strategic responsibilities are becoming more important, with school governing bodies taking on more management functions. Two developments in particular have contributed to these changes: local management of schools, and the introduction of grant-maintained schools.
