Lori Phillips conducted research on education systems in Sweden and Japan. Some key findings were: 1) Sweden provides free compulsory education from ages 7 to 16 and spends a high percentage (26.2%) of its GDP on education. 2) Japan has one of the highest literacy rates in the world and "cram schools" supplement the standard curriculum to help students get into preferred high schools and universities. 3) Both Sweden and Japan have strong government funding of non-standardized, teacher-driven education systems without high-stakes testing and with special schools for students with different needs or backgrounds.

1. Lori Phillips
EDUU 607
Brandman University Spring II
June 19, 2012

2.  The topic of access and equality in education is
important to all countries. Giving students and
equally accessible education is not easy, especially
when schools are at the budgetary mercy of the
government. In my research I found that each of the
countries that I was studying had a different approach
to not only financing, but executing education.

3.  Researching Sweden was  Compulsory Education is:
very interesting. During  Free
my study I found out:  Begins at age 7 and
 the population of Sweden in continues to age 16.
the year 2011 was 9,480,205  Special schools exist for
 1.6 million people were age students with special
10-24 needs or those wishing to
 Sweden has an extensive participate in a religious
public health care system based education
 Spent 26.2% of national  Special schools for
GDP on education in the minorities
year 2008

4.  Interesting facts about  Education is highly
education in Japan: competitive after the
 Highest literacy rate in junior high school level
the world  “cram” schools are used
 Government benefits to supplement
pay for approximately compulsory education to
half of all education ensure entrance to a
funding preferred high school or
university.

6.  Sweden and Japan do  Teacher driven
not have large curriculum
immigrant populations  Special schools for
 Sweden and Japan do immigrant students
not have high stakes
testing every year
 Non-standards based
education
 High rates of
government funding
goes to education

7.  References

 Education in Japan: http://www.education-in-japan.info/sub1.html#sub102
 Jackson, M., Jonsson, J. O., & Rudolphi, F. (2011, November 16). Ethnic Inequality in Choice-driven Education Systems:
A Longitudinal Study of Performance and Choice in England and Sweden. Sociology of Education, 1-21.DOI:
10.1177/0038040711427311
 Schleicher, A. (2009). Securing Quality and Equity in Education: Lessons from PISA. Prospects, 39(3), 251-263.
doi:10.1007/s11125-009-9126-x
 Stevenson, H. W., & Nerison-Low, R. (2000). To Sum It Up: Case Studies of Education in Germany, Japan, and the
United States. DOI: EJ829613. Retrieved from http://eric.ed.gov/
 Sweden.SE: http://www. Sweden.se/eng/home/education/preschool
 The World Bank: http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SE.XPD.PRIM.PC.ZS
 Tokunaga, T., & Douthirt-Cohen, B. (2012). The Ongoing Pursuit of Educational Equity in Japan: The Accreditation of
Ethnic High Schools. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10665684.2012.661255
 U.S. Census Bureau: http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/state/0600.html
 U.S. Department of State: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2880.htm
 Yang-Hansen, K., Rosen, M., & Gustafsson, J. (2011, April). Changes in the Multi-Level Effects of Socio-Economic
Status on Reading Achievement in Sweden in 1991 and 2001. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 55(2),
197-211. doi:10.1080/00313831.2011.554700
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