| Historically, California laws governing private state-approved schools have been loosely written to facilitate alternative types of postsecondary and vocational education. Proprietary schools are the subjects of these laws, not the public community colleges or public and private universities and colleges that are more commonly identified with higher education. Some proprietary-school owners have sought loopholes and disreputable entrepreneurial opportunities for profit making. As a result, many students who have enrolled in such schools have not been provided with reasonable-quality education or training. End results of their endeavors have often been enormous student-loan debts and worthless diplomas.; To probe this situation, this dissertation examines the policies and practices of private postsecondary and vocational education in California from 1978 through 2000, and it analyzes policy alternatives. The historical research focuses on: (1) the period of diploma mills (1978--1990); (2) the period of cleaning-up (1991--1997); and (3) the period of searching for effective identity (1998--2000). Bolman and Deal's four frames of analysis are used: structural, human resources, political, and symbolic. These frames facilitate analysis of the three research periods in such primary terms as budgetary restraints, employee morale, interest groups actions, and organizational culture.; Public choice theory is examined as an aspect of this research. Also analyzed are theories of interest-group politics and of concepts of commensurate responsibility and accountability in public administration.; Findings are that "self interestedness" characterizes California's facilitative posture toward private state-approved schools. Legislation and regulations of these schools are greatly affected by interest groups' actions. Even though the regulatory agency---the Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education---seeks to interpret the never-perfect law to oversee the schools reasonably in the public interest, its decisions are often criticized as "off-balance."; To deal with this enduring reality, Bureau leadership and management may seek: (1) to develop a shared culture of accomplishment among all levels of employees and officials; (2) to manage conflicts through integrative, participative processes; and (3) to search for shared standards of reasonableness within legal and other frameworks of operations. |
