Local Schools, Local Decisions

Local Schools, Local Decisions



Local Schools, Local Decisions

Introduction

Many actors trying to affect the schools use a number of forms of control, intentionally or unintentionally. For instance, governments use market competition (by categorical aid), ideological persuasion and political authority to get staff and teachers of school to perform in particular manners. These forms of control have commonly given way great power if they are efficiently meshed, but quite frequently they disagree with each other. Just is the case with “Local Schools, Local Decisions” reform. Many people fear that due to “Local Schools, Local Decisions” reform, principles will enjoy the power to fire teachers and replace them with temporary ones. Moreover due to budget cuts they can remove dedicated teachers to save money. (Ruben, 2010)

Many Principals have shown fear that Australian education is the biggest loser in school reforms. Many principals have broken the rules of NSW Education Department and criticized the state government. Many have protested that the reforms is giving public school principals greater managerial and financial responsibility (Stevenson, 2012). This paper discusses how the “Local Schools, Local Decisions” reform debate is relevant to the field of employment relations.

Discussion

With the passage of time the reforms are getting more and more controversial and thus affecting the employment relations in the schools. The plans by the government, summarized in its “Local Schools, Local Decisions” reforms, will permit principals to select their own staff and make a decision on how to deploy the staff, give them much greater power over non-staff funding and principals will be controlling 70% of the school budget. The key professional associations such as the Public Schools Principals Forum, the NSW Primary Principals Association and the NSW Secondary Principals Council accepted the reforms. But some principals, mainly from the NSW Teachers Federation, stayed very worried about the changes. (Caro, 2012)

“Local Schools, Local Decisions” will help principles to fire teachers and replace them with temporary ones and they can also remove special teachers on the name of budget cuts. The majority of principals remain unconvinced and they need detail about How this is going to be funded, What are the expectations of them, What they are expected to look after. None of that has been clarified. Some Principals are worried about how the additional responsibility for budgets and finances will affect her role as an educator. Principals will become a business manager rather than ...