Purpose

"Educational marketization" has been a key policy direction in contemporary U.S. federal governance. This study examines seven educational reform laws, programs, and initiatives related to primary and secondary education proposed by the Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama administrations between 1994 and 2017. It aims to clarify how the introduction of free-market principles influenced the federal government’s educational authority and the objectives of public education, analyze the evolution of policy frameworks, and discuss societal evaluations of these policies, factors affecting their implementation, and their implications for public primary and secondary education in Taiwan.

Design/methodology/approach

As a historical study, this research first contextualizes the development of the U.S. public education system and the federal government’s evolving role through historical documents and prior scholarship. It then employs historiographical methods and document analysis to compare market-oriented public education policies enacted during the specified period. Primary sources include laws, programs, initiatives, official educational reports, pamphlets, historical educational statistics, and policy implementation data.

Findings/results

The study analyzes reforms through three core components of educational marketization: school choice, high-quality standards, and accountability. Key findings reveal that the federal government promoted school choice through charter school expansion, enforced uniform academic standards and assessments to ensure "high quality," and expanded accountability measures from schools to individual teachers.

Supporters argue that market competition improves underperforming public schools through a "survival of the fittest" mechanism. Critics, however, warn that marketization risks privatizing education, threatening the traditional public education system, disadvantaging marginalized groups, and exacerbating social inequity. Polarized evaluations stem from differing priorities: proponents emphasize excellence, while opponents prioritize equity, both overlooking the need to balance these dual objectives. Additionally, policies were heavily influenced by New Right ideology and venture philanthropy.

Originality/value

Previous studies on U.S. educational marketization often focus on individual laws, programs, or issues, lacking a historical perspective on policy evolution across administrations. By comparing seven federal policies, this study clarifies shifts in market-oriented principles, revealing a 30-year trend of expanding federal educational authority that diverges from traditional local decentralization. It also highlights how the focus on social efficiency and excellence under three administrations shifted public education away from equity. Furthermore, the role of bipartisan support for New Right ideals and venture philanthropy in driving policy implementation—previously underexplored—is emphasized.

Implications for policy/practice

The U.S. experience over the past three decades demonstrates that prioritizing market mechanisms for excellence risks undermining educational equity. Two lessons emerge:

1. School Choice: While marketization offers parents alternatives to improve overall quality, it requires careful regulation to prevent dual-track systems and unequal educational opportunities.

2. Quality and Accountability: Standards and accountability should focus on academic monitoring and diagnosing learning gaps, rather than evaluating school or teacher performance. Overemphasizing narrow subjects should be avoided to ensure holistic quality enhancement.