Corporate Leaders and Educational Reform

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An on-going national debate about our schools is taking place at a time of increasing concern, both about the education of minority children and about dramatic changes in workplace driven by changing technology and altered competitive conditions. In this broader context, state and especially local efforts at reforming the public school system are very important topics of study. This is especially true with the increased involvement of corporations in the leadership of many current reform efforts. These efforts, however, are marked by a diversity of interests among the major players now involved: teachers, large as well as small business leaders, parents of majority and minority group children, and unions. This research, already underway, is being conducted in Charlotte, N.C., an excellent site. The work of a Chamber of Commerce initiated Task Force on Education and Employment has been the object of field work by the PIs since its inception in 1988. The proposed research includes completion of both observational and interview data at the local level and a comparative assessment of national business-led school reform efforts. The PIs bring a rich combination of practical experience and strong graduate training to this work.