美国择校问题研究

【作者】 唐晓娟；

【导师】 冯增俊；

【作者基本信息】 南京师范大学 ， 比较教育学， 2007， 博士

【摘要】 20世纪后期，美国出现了区别于传统择校的当代择校，当代择校的主要特征是赋予家长自由选择学校、选择教育的权力。美国政府因为不满公立学校历经数次改革后仍没有更多改善的状况，寄希望于通过教育消费者的自由择校来培育竞争的教育市场，以刺激公立学校在竞争的压力下主动谋求创新、改革和提高，因此自从公立学校制度建立并确立就近入学政策以来，美国历史上第一次出现了以政府的名义和力量来大力支持、鼓励和推动择校发展的情况。然而政府的鼓励和支持并没有使得美国择校的发展变得更加顺利，相反地，围绕择校出现了太多的争辩和分歧。这些辩论中除了对择校是否促进公立学校的改善、公立学校学生学业成绩的提高、公立学校家长对学校满意度的提升等就事论事式的争论外，更为重要的分歧在于择校在追求自由的同时是否会损害公平和平等?择校是否导致民主社会的价值观念无法得到传承?择校是否会损害美国民族国家的统一等方面。因此，美国择校之所以在近40年的发展过程出现起伏和曲折，正是与这些分歧背后所蕴涵的更为深刻的因素具有密切的关系，这些因素在最概括的层面上讲，就是美国自由和平等的理想以及包括个人、国家、利益集团的利益在内的美国利益。具体说来，一方面，择校符合美国理想价值中对个人自由的追求，而它所面临的对于平等和公正的损害的指责和质疑已经成为影响择校继续深入发展的一个重要原因，这也显现出平等在美国理想中的地位，然而当自由和平等必须进行取舍时，择校反映出的就是当代美国政治气氛中更为看重自由的事实，因为政界和学界的众多人士认为自由将带来教育效率和质量的提高和公立学校制度的改革，从而为美国继续领先世界称霸世界培养更多的卓越人才，同时，在保守派看来，通过自由择校培育的竞争的教育市场也为市场经济原则或私营部门掌握公共领域开辟了道路；另一方面，择校也能更好地实现和满足当代美国社会中个体的、利益集团的、民族国家的利益，他们的政党利益、经济利益、宗教种族利益、文化利益等都能在择校中找到满足的途径，同时择校也会出现使一部分个人或集团的利益受损的情况出现，而这种利益的满足和利益的受损也从一个角度解释了围绕择校出现诸多分歧和论争的原因。在不断的辩论和妥协中，美国择校已经发展到21世纪初，强调教育消费者选择自由的择校还将对美国基础教育的发展产生重要的影响，尤其是在未来美国基础教育管理体制和实施公共教育的主导学校形式上，它使得市场化的管理体制和区别于传统公立学校(government-run school)的“公共学校”(public school)能在美国基础教育中发挥不可小觑的作用。更多还原

【Abstract】 In the late 20th century, a new wave of school choice featuring parents’ authority in the free choice of school and education has emerged in America, distinguishing itself from the traditional one. Unsatisfied with the poor situation that public schools are now confronted with though with numerous reforms, the American government has pinned its hope on the free school choice policy to help foster the competitive education market, thus stimulating public schools to take initiative in innovation and self-improvement. It has been the first time in the history of America that school choice is being supported, encouraged and even promoted in name of the government since the establishment of nearby enrollment system stipulated by public schools. However, school choice is now under many debates in spite of governmental support. Among these debates, the common ones are, for instance, whether school choice accelerates the improvement of public schools, or whether it is good for the enhancement of students’ performance or whether it exalts parents’ satisfaction with public schools. In addition, the major divergences lie in such issues as whether school choice undermines fairness and justice in its pursuit of freedom; whether it impedes the inheritance of values held by the democratic society; whether it impairs the unity of the nation and American ethnic groups , and so forth.Under this circumstances, the twists and turns in the development of American school choice in the near 40 years has an intimate relationship with the factors underlining those divergences. Generally speaking, the factors include the ideal of liberty and equality as well as the American interest that is pertinent to individuals, nation and interest groups. Yet there are two aspects to be concerned with if we put it in a more specific way. On one hand, school choice is in line with the pursuit of individual liberty in American values, whereas the doubt and accusation of its damaging effect on equality and fairness have become one of the reasons for the incontinuity of its development. In spite of the high status of equality in the American ideal, one cannot have liberty and equality both. School choice is in such dilemma that it cannot have them both either. In fact, school choice is a reflection of the present American political preference of liberty, for most political leaders and scholars take it for granted that liberty would give rise to the improvement of efficiency and quality in education as well as the innovation of public school systems. In this case, more outstanding figures would be available to keep America ahead and maintain its hegemony. Meanwhile, in conservatives’ perspective, the competitive education market that results from free school choice would pioneer a new way for the market economy principles or the mastery of public fields by private sectors. On the other hand, school choice would better serve the needs of individuals, interest groups and the nation in the present American society. Their political, economical, religious and racial, and cultural interests would be achieved harmoniously in the process of school choice. Nevertheless, school choice would decrease the interests of some individuals and groups at times. The fulfillment and decrease of interests explains in one way the disputes and divergences around school choice.American school choice has run into the early 21st century in spite of unceasing debates and compromises. The emphasis of consumer education on free school choice would have a significant impact on the development of American fundamental education. In particular, free school choice enables the market-oriented management and the public schools that differ from the government-run schools to play a significant role in American fundamental education with the consideration of its future administrative system and the realization of the leading free school format of public education.更多还原