TRACKING THE PHOENIX - THE FALL AND RISE OF THE LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITY

This contribution describes the difficulties facing LEAs through this revolutionary period in British education. Taking the key features of an LEA as proposed by the Audit Commission, the Conservative Governmen t's White Paper Self Government for Schools and the White Paper Excell ence in Schools, the article analyses them, draws out distinctions and develops some of the issues with practical examples. The contribution concludes on a positive note drawing attention to signs which point t owards a very significant, albeit rather different, role for LEAs in t he future.