Equivalence and performance gaps in Swedish school inspection: context and the politics of blame

Abstract

This article analyses and critically discusses how context is relevant when constructing and upholding an equivalent education for all within the neo-liberal educational regime of marketisation and accountability. At the centre of the article is a study of national school inspection reports in four municipalities in Sweden, exploring performance gaps, equality and justice in an educational system, that for decades has emphasised universal welfare, justice and equality. By drawing on the concept of ‘the politics of blame’, findings show that accountability and blame are constructed in complex ways. Although teachers and schools are blamed for low expectations with little contextual consideration by Swedish Schools Inspectorate, local governments are blamed for not redistributing resources. This can both challenge and strengthen the contemporary regime in governing education.

Keywords:

• accountability
• equality
• marketisation
• performance gaps
• school inspection
• Sweden

Notes

1. Independent schools in Sweden are free of charge, but are owned and run by a number of private organisations such as corporations, foundations, staff and parent cooperatives and religious congregations.

2. While ‘likvärdighet’ in Sweden previously has been translated to ‘equivalence’ by both government officials and researchers, the international discourse tends to use the concept of equity. Lately, equity has also been used as a translation for the Swedish concept. Englund and Guadalupe (2008) argue that perhaps due to the concepts having different meanings, both could be used depending on the meaning imposed. Equivalence is usually used for a certain level of parity in standards, that education has the same quality and worth, regardless of provider and location. Equity, on the other hand, is suggested to be used when it refers to reaching a certain level of equality in outcomes and results but at the same time taking into consideration differences, diversity and increased freedom of choice. I have chosen to use the term equivalence here to denote both these interpretations of the concept.

3. The million housing programme was a political initiative in the 1960s to raise the housing standards in Swedish homes with the ambition to build one million new homes within 10 years (1965–1975). It resulted in both expansions of existing areas as well as new areas being built mainly with areas of large apartment blocks. Many of these apartment blocks being built in the 1960s and 1970s are now run down due to lack of renovation.

4. A merit-value of 219 was above national average grade in 2011 which was 211 and, therefore, symbolising a good result in this context.