Special education policies of the fourth Labour Government, 1984-1990 : an interpretative analysis : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Educational Administration at Massey University
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1994
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Massey University
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In the period 1984 - 1990 significant changes occurred in education in New Zealand due to a broad mix of political, social and economic influences. Within the field of special education, although the influence 'mix' was different, due to the particular characteristics of this field. This thesis examines special education as a 'case study' within the wider educational reform which occurred in this period. It draws its conclusions from current educational and political research, and is informed by first hand opinions from a number of the key players in policy development from those years. The role of the state in the educational development process is reviewed, and exclusionary traditions and practices which have informed special education legislation since 1867 are described. The various disability discourses that have informed regulations on special education policy in New Zealand for 130 years are discussed, and the effect of the emergence in the 1970's of the rights discourse is analysed in terms of its impact on legislation and policy development up to 1990. Up until 1987, education stood aside from the wider state sector reforms. However, government restructuring between 1987 - 1990 targeted educational administration, and sought to introduce market ideology to it. Central to this restructuring was the re-classifying of educational outputs as a 'private good' in the hands of all New Zealanders. This case study reviews the impact of the neo-liberal ideologies on the educational reform in the period is reviewed, with particular reference to special education policy development. Finally, special educational policy is examined in terms of the prevalent management theories applied to education, and the changing role of the state. Particular trends emerging in the period 1984 - 1990 are identified: ▫ the devolution of some decision making processes to community level during this period meant that those informed by the more restrictive disability discourses were left to interpret special edcuation policy at the community level often without sufficient training to understand the emancipatory legislation to apply it as it was intended. Any conflict with the state was now transported down to a local level. ▫ the passage of emancipatory policies has meant more money was put into special education at a time when fiscal controls were being sought in education. ▫ the change towards a more managed consultative process for education policy making did not apply to special education. ▫ the most far reaching neo-liberal special education policies advocated for in the period 1987 - 1990 eg. full contestability of funding were not implemented. The reforms in special education which were undertaken in the 1984 - 1990 period provide a platform for further development of this topic. This is for the future.
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Research Subject Categories::SOCIAL SCIENCES::Social sciences::Education