A Matter of Self-Governance and Control The Reconstruction of Swedish Education Policy: 1980-2003

Abstract

This article critically examines the role of the State in the decentralized Swedish education system. In the last two decades, Swedish schools have become more autonomous than in most other countries. The transformation of education politics in Sweden from 1975 onwards is briefly described, and the present model of governance is analyzed and discussed. A comparison between the political steering mechanisms available in the 1980s and in the early 2000s shows that the State has left a number of governing mechanisms up to local decision makers. However, certain means of State control remain and have in some cases even become more powerful, while new ones have also been introduced, e.g. a new quality assessment system. Overall, interests in self-governance have increased considerably and thus increased freedom along with extended professional responsibilities of teachers and school leaders are now recurrent themes in the official discourse. Finally, the extent to which teachers themselves actually embrace the ideal of extended professionalism from above is discussed.