ABSTRACT
Curriculum and resource provisioning policies for state government schools have historically been made at ministerial and head office level, then implemented in schools via regulations and directives. These mandates have been transmitted and monitored through the bureaucracy. In recent decades, however, there has been some tendency to limit the number and scope of these mandates and to make more frequent use of policy guidelines, which allow school personnel more discretion in how they respond. These are typically supplemented by financial support and information (including in-service programs) to encourage and prepare schools to behave of their own accord in ways consistent with policy goals.
