Reformation of Canada's Schools: Breaking the Barriers to Parental Choice

The Reformation of Canada's Schools provides a much-needed look at the problems plaguing the educational system in Canada. Challenging the one-size-fits-all approach to educational policy, Mark Holmes argues that we need a broad range of schools to accommodate the wishes of parents and the goals of a pluralist society. Instead of centralizing all decision making in the provincial departments of education, he suggests that, if children are to get the education they deserve, we should be moving to a system characterized by central control over money and accountability combined with much more parental choice. He explores the reasons behind the mediocrity of Canadian schools and sets out the reforms necessary to make them successful.

Holmes presents a textured picture of the difficulties facing schools in Canada. He examines the social background of students and the competing goals of parents, teachers, and governments. He criticizes progressivism, or child-centred education, and speaks out against the closed-mindedness of the educational establishment. He also looks at current research on effective and ineffective schools, as well as on education achievement in national and international terms. His findings show that the difficulties facing Canadian schools are not caused by a lack of money but by a poor allocation of funds.

Increasingly frustrated parents, dedicated teachers, and discouraged professors will find The Reformation of Canada's Schools a welcome source of ideas, information, and thought-provoking possibilities for combating the crisis in Canadian education.