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E. Mark Hanson: School of Education and Anderson Graduate School of Management, University of California, California, USA
Educational decentralization is a popular reform theme of governments around the world, but with goals, strategies and outcomes that are as different as the countries themselves[1]. These decentralization initiatives can range from arbitrary exercises of coercive power (e.g. Chile and Argentina under military governments in the 1970s) to conscientiously planned interventions driven by national political will (Spain in 1978 following the death of General Franco). They can take many forms, such as revising the way a ministry of education makes decisions at the top of the system (Colombia in 1991); privatizing through the introduction of market forces (Chile in 1980), and empowering local educators and parents through school-based management (SBM) (Nicaragua in 1994). Because so many countries are attempting to decentralize their educational systems, there is a growing need to synthesize the positive and negative aspects of these national experiences for both the academic community seeking greater insight into educational change as well as decision makers seeking guidelines on effective educational policy[2].
Written in the context of a conceptual analysis, the objective of this paper is to identify and explain the key issues and forces that play major roles in shaping organization and management strategies of educational decentralization[3]. The paper is organized around a series of questions that the author has found in his own research on the subject to tap issues that go to the core of decentralization strategies[4]. Examples from five Hispanic countries where the author has done extensive research will be utilized to illustrate the major points: Venezuela, Colombia, Argentina, Nicaragua and Spain. The paper concludes with a diagram and a list of decentralization propositions that attempts to summarize the significant aspects of the issues identified.
Before examining the issues associated with educational decentralization, it is worthwhile exploring the potential benefits of centralization. After all, so many nations support centralized educational systems that they must have some positive attributes.
Is a centralized educational system inherently ineffective?
Centralization or decentralization are not ends in themselves, but only means to an end. Consequently, under given conditions the rationale behind qualitatively strengthening a centralized system rather than decentralizing it can be quite persuasive. The principal arguments behind educational...