TheEffectivenessofNetworksandIndependentPrivate.pptVIP

The Effectiveness of Networks and Independent Private Schools in Chile’s National Voucher Program Dante Contreras Universidad de Chile Gregory Elacqua Princeton University Felipe Salazar Universidad Adolfo Ibanez Prepared for the World Bank conference Private-Public Partnership, June 7-8 Washington, DC Persistent debate over the optimal scale of operations in schools One view: Larger schooling operations offer educational services more effectively and efficiently than small independent schools (Whittle, 2000, Chubb, 2001) Economies of scale in education By infusing competition and a business approach to education, schools will succeed (or fail) like businesses School networks* promote sound institutional environments in member schools (McMeekin, 2003) Provide a sharing experience and facilitate the flow of information to network members (share information on best practices) A network can provide political benefits and credibility and legitimacy in a school’s community. Charter school networks more easily access loans and grants and raise funds in the community than independent charter schools (Wohlstetter and Smith, 2006) Skeptics are concerned that… Large schooling operations will create hard to manage bureaucracies and foster diseconomies of scale due to associated problems of managing complex organizations. Also worry that large schooling operations: Lower staff motivation b/c empower administrators far removed from the classroom (Lawrence et al.,2002) Lower student motivation and parent involvement they will experience isolation and anonymity in large organizations (Hill and Bonan, 1991) Promote more standardization and less innovation School networks must establish a brand, which necessitates relative uniform operations and services from site to site, which stifles innovation (Belfield and Levin, 2005) They claim that small autonomous schools can improve the quality of education by creating intimate learning communities with higher levels of