I don't think there is a "standard"  definition of a crisis.  Definitely there isn't going to be a quantitative definition and I think that an important task of good research is to create the definition! 

I imagine that there are at least two ways of looking at a crisis (of course there are more!) (a) looking at the phenomena in themselves that cumulatively make the crisis (e.g. students failure rates) and (b) the perception of crisis by external observers (e.g. analysts, media, the public etc).  I think that (b) is probably the most important: a crisis doesn't become a crisis until it is recognized as such.

I suspect that it may be a matter of perception (something like a media crime wave).  "Crime waves"  occur only partially as objective quantitative facts about crime statistics.  It is the perception that there is a crime wave that really determines whether there is one or not.  Media works through selecting genres of stories that are interesting to readers.   There are periods of zero-reporting on a particular type of incident (e.g. police murders in the USA) and then when one story becomes "big"  then other media start reporting on similar types of stories.  The result is that the media fill up exponentially with stories about police murders and it "looks"  to the public as though there is an increase in this type of crime when in fact, they always existed but it is the media that are creating the perception of a crime wave.  A crime wave is thus just a breaking of the silence around particular types of victims.  This type of thing can be plotted quantitatively through corpus studies.

You could try applying a similar approach to education crises.  So you could look in a corpus of data (e.g. newspaper texts) for the term "education crisis"  (and similar) and see if there are shifts in incidence.  I suspect that S-type curves or exponential increases in incidences of reporting about "crisis"  could be one way of characterizing them.

I found this reading online: MANUFACTURING A CRIME WAVE: THE GOLD

COAST SAGA by Emily Schindeler and Jacqui Ewart.  Perhaps it could help you get started?

Just random thoughts

Value based education is in crisis, in India

https://www.google.co.in/url?q=http://www.allsubjectjournal.com/archives/2015/vol2issue1/PartA/142.1.pdf&sa=U&ved=0CBkQFjAAODxqFQoTCOvw3Pro_ccCFdUJjgodzTsKOw&usg=AFQjCNEP1CM6gemipNW_Xi5AJOEAth5X0g

This search may be fruitful: "crisis in education definition"

From May to December 2013 "educational crisis" was not a talking point.

http://www.google.com/trends/explore#q=educational%20crisis

I think it greatly depends on the level at which you are examining education. Nation-wide? State-wide? District-wide? Urban/Suburban? Across SES levels? At each of these levels we experience crisis, but the focus, its impact and its level of severity differ as the lens shifts in and out.

Dear Mark, Krishnan, Ian and Kimberly:

I'll read carefully your answers, and I'll check the links out, and then I'll tell you my opinion.  I'm very grateful.

With my best wishes,

Antonio.

it's difficult to give a definition on education crisis,because it may depend on social economic developing level, traditional culture,ect.

Thank you, Lei.

Well, my pooint is that "crisis" has a meaning, such as "education", and the conjunction of both could be standard, in spite of variations in parameters such as those you have mentioned.

The problem with the papers I've read, is that the concept of EC is not defined!  It's given for granted! And that is a problem: theoretical, and methodological.

Best..

Probably, there is no standards at all.

Just to add an early  notable  work on crisis in education:

Maritain, J. (1943). Education at the crossroads. New Haven: Yale university press.

If your focus is more socially oriented than philosophy:

Delors, J., & UNESCO. (1996). Learning: The Treasure Within. Retrieved from

Thank you, Jae.

I'll have to do my homework!

In the Polish study educational crisis refers among other things to the theory of systems. Also used ecological approach to parenting,

on the basis of which they produced the latest trends in childcare in most European countries. The prospect of ecological stimulates the passage of a narrow orientation to a broader perspective on child care, accent multi-faceted approach to children and their families, in the context of their situation, the school and the environment. This type of approach has led in recent years to changes in the system of care in many countries.

No, I don´t there is, but there are individual educational crises, each with its own signature. That said, the core issue might be commonplace or quite unique. Here is an example of an educational crisis that is happening in more than one nation.

Wars prevent 13 million children from going to school in the Middle East and North Africa, according to the United Nations. Best wishes, Paul

i think educational crisis are referred to the situation when the clients( policy makers, parents, students) are not satisfied from the ongoing system of education.And they are looking for a solution to fulfill their requiremnts

Please check out Hannah Arendt's chapter on "The Crisis in Education" in her 1954 book, "Between Past and Future".  If her thoughts on education resonate with you - maybe this chapter will help -

Dear Pul, Ivo, Giuseppe, Muhammad and Karen:

I've had no tiem to read your careful answers yet, but I want to say thanks.

Please give me some days, and I'll check your answers out in detail, and then I'll give you my feedback.  Thank you all!

With my best wishes,

Antonio. 

No, I do not know any definitions of educational crisis. I just can see that we maybe have to differenciate. There are digital educational cirsis, social educational crisis, crisis of the system and a lot of more. 

Hi Antonio,

Just to play devil's advocate at the moment - why do you presume there is a crisis in education? What is different now that might cause you to think there is a crisis?

Kevin

Dear Antonio,

I think to discuss the concept of education crisis should be based on different social environment,such as traditional culture, policy,economy, etc.

Lei Shang

Hello people.

Thanks a lot to you all!

I'm conducting a research on this issue, and it has been a,azing the variety of responses I've received from you.

Each of us has a bit of the "truth" so to speak.

I regret I cannot answer to each of you yet, but I will...

In the meantime, I'm finishing some urgent bussiness here...

Best,

Antonio.

Dear Kevin:

Good question... I don't assume there is a crisis, neither in general (the world), nor in my country (Venezuela), nor in specific sectors of any educational system. But something is happening...But this is not the point.

The issue is on the possibly inadequate use of this term (EC), without  a clear concept, and without a standard for comparison.

Of course we have international empirical standards (as PISA, etc.), but I refer to a theoretical standard.

I expect to continue our interchange.

Thanks again...

Dear Antonio,

I have done some work on schools “Crisis Response Policies” - from an emergency management stance, so I may be applying the incorrect lens here, but I will let you decide!

Have you tried approaching this from a general crisis management standpoint – and have you thought about breaking the term crisis down to its more general ‘features’ and then apply them to education?  For example, severe disruption can be a feature of a crisis, as can negative public perception, etc. You can then apply the features to an educational setting...

Fink is a good place to start:

Fink (1986) suggests that “A crisis is an unstable time or state of affairs in which a decisive change is impending – either one with the distinct possibility of a highly undesirable outcome or one with the distinct possibility of a highly desirable and extremely positive outcome. It is usually a 50-50 proposition, but you can improve the odds” (p. 15)

Fink (2002) also notes that a crisis is a ‘turning point for better or worse’ and ‘a situation that has reached a critical phase’.

Another useful author/text is Alexander (2002 p. 1) who notes that an emergency is ‘an exceptional event that exceeds the capacity of normal resources and organisation to cope with it’.  One can view the terms 'crisis' and 'emergency' as synonymous - depending on the approach and context.

I hope that this helps you in some way. Do please let us know how you get on in your search!

Regards, Gavin.

References:

Alexander, D. 2002. Principles of Emergency Planning and Management. England: Tarra.

Fink, S. 1986. Crisis Management, American Management Association, Amacom, New York.

Fink, S. 2002. Crisis Management Planning for the Inevitable. Lincoln: iUniverse.

Useful Link:

www.holisticeducator.com/educationalcrisis.htm

Thanks, Anirbid.

Best,

Antonio.

There are similar concepts, arguments and definitions in:

Chapter Quality of life and education in the knowledge society

Dear Reinaldo:

Thank you so much for your paper, I'll read it as soon as I can.

My paper is ready, and it presently is under the second review.

In the paper I state that there is no such standard operational deffinition, and I propose a one.

My papers consists on the proposal of a typology for evaluations of educational crisis, and a method for evaluating one of those, by means of social representations.

I'll give more information as soon as possibe.

With my best wishes,

Antonio.