Governance of early childhood education and care: recent developments in OECD countries

Since the 1990s, many OECD countries have expanded their early childhood services and developed more coherent and coordinated policies. Through this process, countries have adopted very different approaches to governing their early childhood systems. Drawing from findings of a 12‐country comparative study, this article explores cross‐national approaches to the governance of early childhood systems, as well as some possible implications for future policy development. The article discusses the roles of the national government, the local authorities, the private sector and other stakeholders, such as teachers and parents, in making key decisions about how the system operates in different countries. The article calls for empirical research on the effects of governance on the nature of policies and programmes for young children and their families in different nations.     

Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A national survey of training and current assessment practices in the schools

The primary purpose of this research was to survey school psychologists to investigate their training and current assessment practices for attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the schools. The survey consisted of 38 questions regarding participant characteristics and three main areas relevant to ADHD: (a) training, (b) caseloads/referral patterns, and (c) assessment. The respondents reported receiving adequate training in the assessment of ADHD, with doctorate‐level psychologists self‐reporting being better trained than nondoctorate psychologists. Results confirmed a substantial caseload of ADHD referrals. In the assessment of ADHD, the results indicated school psychologists are using multiple informants, methods, and settings for the assessment of ADHD with rating scales, observations, and interviews the most common methods identified. Limitations of current practices will be discussed. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 40: 583–597, 2003.     

A longitudinal study of mathematical competencies in children with specific mathematics difficulties versus children with comorbid mathematics and reading difficulties

Mathematical competencies of 180 children were examined at 4 points between 2nd and 3rd grades (age range between 7 and 9 years). Children were initially classified into one of 4 groups: math difficulties but normal reading (MD only), math and reading difficulties (MD-RD), reading difficulties but normal math (RD only), and normal achievement in math and reading (NA). The groups did not differ significantly in rate of development. However, at the end of 3rd grade the MD only group performed better than the MD-RD group in problem solving but not in calculation. The NA and RD only groups performed better than the MD-RD group in most areas. Deficiencies in fact mastery and calculation fluency, in particular, are defining features of MD, with or without RD.     

Social Inequalities in French Secondary Schools: from figures to theories

In spite of the unified type of junior secondary school (the ‘college') implemented in France since 1975, significant social inequalities of school careers can be observed today. A specific longitudinal study sheds some light on the variety of mechanisms which generate these social inequalities. Difference in academic progress is one mechanism, but parents’ strategies are also important. Finally, another aspect of social inequality arises from the school attended, some schools being more selective at the streaming points, these ‘school effects’ being related to the social characteristics of the pupils of the catchment area. All these facts and figures have some relevance with regard to different sociological theories about social inequalities in school careers. They also bring into question the educational policies implemented in France over the last 15 years.     

The Contribution of the Characteristics of Schools Programmes to their Use in English Primary Schools

This article looks at the contribution of the characteristics of schools television programmes to their use in English primary schools: what made the programmes a useful teaching and learning aid, and how such characteristics influenced children's reactions to and facilitated their learning from the programmes. A qualitative case‐studies research into four English primary schools found that the popularity and usefulness of schools programmes lie in the inclusion of the following characteristics: (a) coverage of Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study; (b) accompanying resources of programmes; (c) broadcasting length; (d) target age groups and the use of language; (e) broadcasting pace and forms; (f) the insertion of visual pictures and humorous features; (g) the presence of children and familiar presenters.     

Developing female middle-managers in Australian universities

Universities should be developing female middle-managers for reasons of gender balance (Aitkin in The Last Boilerhouse Address, Canberra University 2001), the skills shortage, pending mass retirements (Chesterman in Not doable jobs?’ Exploring senior women’s attitudes to leadership roles in universities. Women’s Higher Education Network Conference, Bolton, 2004) and sustainable, post-bureaucratic organizations (Kira and Forslin in J Organ Change Manage 21(1): 76–91, 2008). Investigating the learning and development of women managers is timely. Research assumes that women in academe have the qualifications, experience and skills for management. Is this the case? The paper provides the first national demographic and development profile of women middle-managers in academic and the research-neglected administrative streams in Australian universities, with a sample of 342 women (46% response rate). Age is a particularly notable demographic with the majority of academics within 5–10 years of retirement. Nearly 60% of academics experienced few current development opportunities and their discipline-based qualifications did not prepare them for management. However, a greater number of administrative managers received relevant preparatory training. Once in their current management roles women experienced markedly fewer development opportunities. If higher education institutions are learning organizations, continuous learning should be evident (Watkins in Adv Dev Hum Res 7(3): 414, 2005). Our research shows this is far from the case.     

Understanding parent advocacy during the transition to school of children with developmental disabilities: three Canadian cases

Research has shown the benefits of parent involvement for student participation in education. Parent advocacy is a critical form of involvement by parents for children who are young, have disabilities, and are making transitions. Studies have classified forms of parent advocacy but have not illuminated the components necessary for effective parent advocacy. In this study of three families of children with developmental disabilities making the transition to kindergarten, we examined the applicability of Test’s conceptual framework of self-advocacy (CFSA) for guiding research and interventions for parent advocacy. The four components of CFSA were all reported in the parents’ experiences of advocacy. These cases highlight how parent advocacy is similar to, and more complex than, self-advocacy and suggest that parent advocacy is also influenced by the parent’s perceptions of the child’s needs and is context specific. In these cases, advocacy during transition reflects the parent’s priorities for the child’s inclusion.     

Loss of Institutional Trust Among Racial and Ethnic Minority Adolescents: A Consequence of Procedural Injustice and a Cause of Life‐Span Outcomes

This research tested a social‐developmental process model of trust discernment. From sixth to eighth grade, White and African American students were surveyed twice yearly (ages 11–14; Study 1, N = 277). African American students were more aware of racial bias in school disciplinary decisions, and as this awareness grew it predicted a loss of trust in school, leading to a large trust gap in seventh grade. Loss of trust by spring of seventh grade predicted African Americans’ subsequent discipline infractions and 4‐year college enrollment. Causality was confirmed with a trust‐restoring “wise feedback” treatment delivered in spring of seventh grade that improved African Americans’ eighth‐grade discipline and college outcomes. Correlational findings were replicated with Latino and White students (ages 11–14; Study 2, N = 206).