2. Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Theme This 1 day workshop is a precursor to a proposed AARE 2014 symposium on the dismantling of public education systems and the implications for educational leadership and social justice. There is a growing interest in the rise of independent public schools and increasing school autonomy amongst policy makers in Australia. With significant moves in this area in the UK and US, Australia is already seeing shifts in this policy arena. This 1 day workshop will seek to examine how we can understand these changes, how to theorise these moves and consider them in their implications for educational leadership and addressing issues of social justice. The aim of this workshop is to explore in depth the ways that a range of theoretical perspectives can help to understand this phenomenon and provide fresh insights into the implications for educational leadership, policy and social justice: ‘What are the implications of increasing school autonomy for educational leadership and social justice?’