How do markets and governments operate in education and what is the best way to organise, finance and regulate education? Mark Harrison assesses the performance of the New Zealand school sector, the impact of the reforms of the 1980s and 1990s, and current government spending policies. He examines what economics and empirical evidence say about the role of government and markets in the education system, and presents a comprehensive analysis of the best way to organise education.

Dr Mark Harrison is an economist and has been a lecturer at the University of Chicago and at the Australian National University.