This collection of essays debates the application of market principles to and within the context of education. Throughout, the educational and public policy issues raised by the application of market principles to education are closely examined.

Chapter 1. Education and the Market Place: An Introduction, Chapter 2. Schooling, Markets and Public Agency 1833–1944, Part 1. Examining Particular Applications of the Market Principles in Practice, Chapter 3. Local Education Authorities and the Market Place, Chapter 4. In Defence of the Educational Voucher, Chapter 5. Diversity in State Education: The Grant Maintained Option, Chapter 6. Managing the Market, Chapter 7. Parents: Customers or Partners?, Chapter 8. Business Sponsorship in Schools: A Changing Climate, Chapter 9. Pied Piper Revisited, Part 2. The Debate in Philosophical and Educational, Chapter 10. Markets, Values and Education, Chapter 11. Education and the Limits of the Market, Chapter 12. Education is a Public Good: On the need to Resist the Domination of Economic Science, Chapter 13. In Defence of Markets in Educational Provision, Chapter 14. Politics, Markets and Schools: The Central Issues, Notes on Contributors, Index