Zones of contention, by the left-of-centre Institute for Public Policy Research, said the private sector has largely ignored the schemes, which sought to attract private sector money to raise educational attainment in some of the UK's most deprived areas.
Education Action Zones were introduced by the new Labour Government in 1997 and combine representatives from the voluntary sector, health authorities, social services and businesses. Currently 73 EAZs operate in England, serving 1,444 schools and covering six per cent of the school population.
The report said, 'Our evidence leads us to suggest that policy making and implementation processes have already dampened some of the innovatory potential of EAZs. In spite of their promotion as "test beds", the average zone appears to have become a combination of a traditional school improvement service and an education business partnership.
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