New roles for local authorities in education. Opportunities and challenges. n the light of increasing school autonomy, this research examines how the leadership role of local authorities could be enhanced, particularly in terms of ensuring adequate leverage for councils, to enable them to plan strategically and coordinate services for their communities.By Anne Wilkin, Mary Atkinson, Karen Halsey, Annie Johnson, Richard White and Kay Kinder.

By National Foundation for Educational Research, UK.

Education Policy Resource.

School Funding: What Next? Local Authority and School Views. Following revisions to the funding arrangements for schools by the Government in the 2003/04 financial year and concerns that these new arrangements may exacerbate the unfair aspects of the present system, creating significant 'losers', the Local Government Association commissioned the NFER to conduct a study on the impact of these changes. The report concludes that whilst the new arrangements have provided greater financial certainty and financial control for schools, they are perceived to have reduced local authority discretion and their flexibility to cater for local needs. By Atkinson, Lamont, Gulliver, White, and Kinder.

By National Foundation for Educational Research, UK.

Education Policy Resource.