分権改革期における市町村教育行政の変容とその政治行政要因

抄録

Decentralization gave local governments greater autonomy in planning and executing education policy. As a consequence, some local governments reduced class size and introduced original curriculum. This paper examined the political and administrative factors in municipalities that enabled some local governments to make original education policy. Following points are made clear in this case study of political and administrative change in Shiki City and Inuyama City. First, mayor played an important role in agenda setting. In Japan, local governments did not have the autonomy in making curriculum and deciding class size. Decentralization gave them autonomy and the mayor became the key actor as the mayor had the authority in making a budget. Especially it is important that the mayor has the power to negotiate with prefecture which has the authority in deciding curriculum and class size. Second, education policy is focused on in local politics. To put it concretely, education policy proposed by the mayor became the subject of heated discussion. Third, the number of inspection mission conducted by the other local governments to both the cities rapidly increased.