Paper short abstract:

This proposal explores the complex implementation of Chinese private education reforms using a capability approach. Through policy analysis and fieldwork in 23 schools, it identifies key instruments and factors driving capability formation, challenging oversimplification. Emphasizing dynamic implementation and contextual nuances, the research contributes crucial insights into Chinese education.

Paper long abstract:

This proposal explores the dynamic implementation of Chinese private education reform policies through a capability approach lens, addressing the complex interplay between national policies and localized interpretations. The research contends that these policies aim to enhance education capabilities, encompassing practical, cross-cultural, citizenship, and 21st-century capabilities.

Methodology:

Policy Analysis: Utilizing the policy instruments framework, the study examines how 50 key reform policy documents operationalize capabilities at the national level.

Fieldwork: Employing a multi-site qualitative approach, the research traces policy interpretation and implementation in 23 private schools, analysing interview and observational data.

Key Findings:

Capability Alignment: The study identifies inducements, mandates, capacity-building, system-changing, and hortatory policy instruments shaping capabilities at the national level.

Actor-Based Conversion Factors: Three influential factors—parental demand, local policy priorities, and school leadership synergy—drive capability formation at the school level.

Discussion:

Policy Implementation Dynamics: The paper emphasizes the dynamic interaction among actors in policy implementation networks, highlighting the impact of conversion factors.

Contextual Factors: The research argues that real-world complexities demand a nuanced understanding of interactions, emphasizing the need to evaluate policies based on their impact on individual capabilities.

Conclusion:

The study challenges oversimplified policy implementation contexts and calls for a deeper understanding of interactions, shifting focus from abstract justice ideals to assessing policies based on individual capabilities. The findings contribute to discussions on education policy decentralization, experimentation, and accountability within policy implementation networks, emphasizing the unique role of private education in China's socialist system.

Significance:

This proposal offers a comprehensive analysis of Chinese private education reform, addressing gaps in current research by delving into localized interpretations and the dynamic interplay of actors. The findings contribute valuable insights to the conference theme of education policy and its impact on individual capabilities, fostering a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the Chinese education landscape.