ABSTRACT
In August 1988 the New Zealand Government published a policy document on education administration, Tomorrow's Schools, which shifted responsibility for budget allocation, staff employment, and educational outcomes from central and regional government agencies to individual schools. The devolution it proposed began in May 1989, taking the New Zealand education system further and faster down this route than any other western country. This makes the New Zealand reforms of considerable interest elsewhere; shedding some light on the effect such devolution can have on curriculum and resource provision, relations between parents and professionals, and progress towards more equal educational outcomes for members ofdifferent social groups. The social and historical context in which these reforms occurred is also important in analysing their shape and impact.
