Christopher Bjork is an Assistant Professor of Education at Vassar College. His research interest include educational reform in Asia, educational decentralization, and teaching cultures in Indonesia and Japan. He has published numerous articles on these topics in journals such as Comparative Education Review, Anthropology &education Quarterly, and International Review ofEducation. He also co-edited (with Thomas Rohlen) an anthology titled Education and Training in Japan.

"The book is succinct and well written….This book will be of value to students of Indonesian education and comparativists interested in the process of educational change and specifically in educational decentralization." – COMPARE, Vol. 36, No. 4, December 2006

• Preface: Glimpses of Life in an Indonesian Junior High School Chapter One: Introduction Chapter Two:Contextualizing the Puzzle Chapter Three: Creation and Development of Educational Decentralization Chapter Four: Connecting Current Conditions to Their Historical Roots Chapter Five: Two Distinct Worlds Chapter Six: Teacher Attachments to the System Chapter Seven: Policy Implementation at the Local Level Chapter Eight: Autonomy and Resistance at St. Timothy's Junior High Chapter Nine: Conclusion