Laura Elizabeth Pinto, Curriculum Reform in Ontario - 'Common Sense' Policy Processes and Democratic Possibilities (U of T Press)
This first full account of curriculum policy formulation in 1990s Ontario, helps readers understand the real-life experiences of policymakers both within the province and internationally. Having worked as a policy analyst for the Government of Ontario, a public school teacher, and a university professor, author Laura Elizabeth Pinto is uniquely positioned to tackle the key issues of policy formulation: the politics and tensions among different policy actors; the relationships between democracy in education and in policy formation; and the hidden role of privatization.
Based on interviews with key policy people including ministry bureaucrats, curriculum policy writers, stakeholder consultation participants, and political staffers, Curriculum Reform in Ontario provides a critique of conventional policy formulation processes and suggests possibilities for more participatory approaches to policy formulation that can better support the critical role played by schools in creating democratic societies.