高考改革40年:意义建构与制度变迁

40 Years of the National College Entrance Examination Reform:Meaning Construction and Institutional Change

2017年是恢复全国统一高校招生考试制度40周年。40年来,高考改革取得了巨大成就和宝贵经验。如何解释高考改革40年的政策变迁,对进一步完善高考制度具有重要意义。本文从文化模式变革的角度解释高考政策的变迁,将其分为三个阶段:第一个阶段(1977-1991年)的文化模式是公平竞争和贤能治国,高考政策定位为精英筛选机制;第二个阶段(1992-2011年)的文化模式是崇尚自由和追求卓越,高考政策变迁表现为国家本位的政策范式向市场本位的政策范式转变;第三个阶段(2012年至今)的文化模式是提高质量和实现公平,高考政策变迁表现为向国家本位政策范式回归。可见,我国高考政策的变迁始终以公平和质量为两条价值主线。

The year 2017 is the 40th anniversary for the restoration of the National College Entrance Examination （NCEE） system in China. Over 40 years, the NCEE reform has made great achievements and gained valuable experience. It is of great importance to explore the rationale behind the Reform of NCEE Policy so as to further improve the mechanism of NCEE. This paper explains the NCEE policy changes within a framework of cultural model transition, which is divided into three stages. The first stage （1977-1991） focuses on fair competition and virtuous governance. The orientation of NCEE policy is the elite screening mechanism. The second stage （1992-2011） advocates freedom and pursues excellence. The NCEE policy transforms from a nation-oriented standard policy into a market-oriented policy. The third stage （2012-present） is aimed at improving quality and accomplishing fairness, so the NCEE policy returns to the nation-oriented standard policy paradigm. In one word. eauitv and oualitv have alwavs been the two main themes in the reform of NCEE noliev.