A case study of public interest groups in the Newfoundland educational reform policy-making process

Bussey, Barry W. (2001) A case study of public interest groups in the Newfoundland educational reform policy-making process. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role interest groups played in the Newfoundland education reforms of the 1995-1997-time period. The demise of the church-based school system in Newfoundland during the 1990s has many wondering what happened to cause such a dramatic turn of events. -- This paper argues that investigating the interest groups during that tumultuous period may best be viewed within the naturalistic paradigm rather than the positivistic paradigm. Thus, the qualitative methodology underlies this case study. The theoretical framework is based upon the pluralist/policy community theories and, in particular, the work of A. Paul Pross. -- Key to this study of the influence interest groups had on the educational reform was the determination of their potential capacity to influence government. As Pross puts it, were the groups fully "institutionalized"? The determining variables as to whether a specific group was institutionalized are based upon Pross's "Continuum Framework," which is explained within the thesis. -- This thesis concludes that while Pross's work was helpful, his theory has to be extended to include the role that individual key players have on the process of public policy. This research suggests that while for decades interest groups sought to move the Newfoundland Government away from a denominational-based school system, no changes were forthcoming until a political leader arrived with the "courage" to bring the matter onto the public agenda. Once on the public agenda, school reform began to take a life of its own - politicians were often unable to control the process.

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