2015 Volume 41 Pages 126-142
The purpose of this article is to clarify the commitment to educational administration by the ward mayor of a government-designated city. First, it analyzes educational works which were relegated from the board of education to mayoral departments and agencies, focusing on the difference between delegation and assistance in execution. Second, it analyzes the case of Osaka City Board of Education Ward Commissioner System. The reason I chose Osaka City Board of Education Ward Commissioner System as the sample is the following：after the mayoral elections, Toru Hashimoto progressed with decentralization reform from city to ward in Osaka city and gave more power to the ward mayor. Therefore, I analyzed this case to clarify the commitment to educational administration by the ward mayor.
In analyzing the case of Osaka City Board of Education Ward Commissioner System, this paper focuses on the related policy process and the role of the ward mayor in implementing school choice. In addition, I consider the concept of“ integration or separation”.
The following is the findings of this research. First, from the result of comparison of the regulations of inter government-designated cities, it adopts typical assistance in execution between the board of education and mayoral departments and agencies. Second, Osaka City Board of Education Ward Commissioner System is the key concept in the commitment to educational administration in Osaka.
Based on the case study of Osaka, especially regarding educational administration issues, decentralization reform from city to ward has naturally strong aspirations of integration. This is because the ward has no board of education system. In addition, it pointed out problems such as “double principals” in setting a Ward Commissioner System like that of Osaka.
