“Private” schools financed with public funds: A comparative study between England and Spain

Abstract

England and Spain are two European countries with one of the highest percentages of student enrollment in private schools financed with public funds. This article compares the policies pursued by both countries with regards to the promotion of this type of “hybrid” (public-private) policies for the privatization of education. First, a comparison is made between the different objectives of each country for implementing the policies of private schools financed with public funds; second, the results on the growth or balance of this type of schools over the last 10 years are presented. Finally, the findings of this research, which allow us to reflect on the particularity of both policies and processes, are offered. In the case of England, this type of school emerged in a context marked by neoliberal philosophy; in the case of Spain, these schools have been created after the eruption of neoliberal policies within the country's educational system. The relationship among the different political forces in power and the policies that have been developed mark the promotion of this trend in England, unlike Spain.