Empirical research on the effect of decentralization in school education-Analyzing policy on class size reduction by local government in Japan

Research Project

Project/Area Number	23830058
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Educaion
Research Institution	University of Nagasaki
Principal Investigator	YUKIMARU Takehiko 長崎県立大学, 経済学部, 講師 (60614930)
Project Period (FY)	2011 – 2012
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2012)
Budget Amount *help	¥3,120,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥720,000) Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000) Fiscal Year 2011: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
Keywords	少人数学級政策 / 分権改革 / 自治体 / 財政力 / 首長 / 教員雇用 / 地方分権 / 教育政策 / 少人数教育
Research Abstract	The purpose of this study is to clear the effect of decentralization in education by focusing on policy on class size reduction by local government in the Fukuoka prefecture.This study concludes as follows: (1) the board of education in the Fukuoka prefecture don't have any strong involvement in policy making on class size reduction by local government, and 16 local governmets have already introduced ordiences relating to teacher employment and class size, (2) there is no statistically difference in financial capability needs between 16 local governments and the other 44 local governments that still don't introduce policy on class size reduction,(3) the policy on class size reduction is introduced by mayor's initiative in some local governments in low financial strength because of solving problems of low test scores exposed by National achievement exams.