David N. Plank, a professor in the Department of Educational Administration and co-director of the MSU Education Policy Center, is a specialist in educational policy and finance. His international research and experience are mainly in Africa and South America.
Gary Sykes: a professor of educational administration and teacher education. His research interests center on policy issues associated with the improvement of teaching, teacher education and educational leadership as well as questions of school choice.
Choosing Choice: School Choice in International Perspective
Plank, D. N & Sykes, G. (Eds.) (2003)
New York: Teachers College Press
ISBN: 0807742910
As the first
cross-national comparative study on school choice policies, this volume
features prominent scholars who analyze experiences in countries around
the world -- England, Chile, South Africa, the Czech Republic, China,
Australia, New Zealand, and Sweden. Together, they answer such important
questions as: Why are policies that expand educational options being
adopted in such a diverse set of countries? Why have governments in
widely varying circumstances come to view school choice as an apt response
to educational dilemmas? What have we learned about the impacts of these
policies on existing educational systems and the quality of teaching
and learning in the classroom?
The analyses presented here illuminate school choice policies as a critical
worldwide development in education, noting both similarities and differences
across counties. This volume broadens our understanding of school choice
on the world stage while exploring implications for education policy
in the United States. (Description from the book cover)