A circle of research on disadvantaged schools, improvement and test-based accountability

Abstract

This study analyses how studies on disadvantaged schools, improvement and test-based accountability relate to each other. The analysis covers 69 studies on disadvantaged schools reported in prestigious educational journals and conducted in 1995–2015. Educational policies related to evaluation and accountability define the official goals of schooling, and the aim in this article is to analyse how the chosen studies discuss these educational policies and understand school success and failure. The following questions were asked: What typologies related to test-based accountability can be constructed in research on disadvantaged schools? What understandings of good schools are embedded in the identified typologies? Disadvantaged schools are at the centre of improvement and therefore also the target of evaluative policy practices. The results show that research supports test-based accountability practices, and that critical studies on school improvement are in the minority.

Leadership and management in public schools: Opportunities and challenges faced by school leaders in Punjab

“…Successful schools also have more twenty-four hours daily than those who fail to achieve desired goals. But the difference is only they make better use of available resources, time and staffing (Crawford & Cowie, 2012;Crowley & Hauser, 2007;Huilla, 2020). Empirical results showed a more significant impact where there was effective leadership and learning culture.…”

“…Advancements in technological tools have become an attractive aspect of changes being adopted in this society, impacting every aspect of human life. In this situation, it becomes necessary to incorporate this digital technology into the teaching process and to learn to experience rapid change (Abbas & Yaqoob, 2009;Huilla, 2020;Vargo et al, 2021).…”

Development and validation of a scale to measure the resilience of schools: Perspectives of young people from vulnerable and challenging territories

“…In their pursuit of quality, schools must consider the needs and characteristics of contexts, and educate young people as citizens (Leite & Fernandes, 2014; Sobrinho, 2012). We understand quality beyond the rankings and measurements based on outputs alone, but rather considering a concerted action to support goals toward the quality of the educational action (Cheng & Tam, 1997; Huilla, 2020; Neves et al, 2012). In more disadvantaged regions, the goals also include fulfilling schools’ social function of promoting youth education pathways and local development, while managing specific territorial specificities and challenges.…”

“…The literature suggests the importance of different instruments/measures and accountability systems to reflect on schools and their quality (Huilla, 2020; Motala, 2001). While promoting educational pathways, resilient schools are also involved in overcoming adverse situations and problem solving: “[s]chool resilience certainly embodies school effectiveness, but it also has a deeper and broader meaning” (Patterson et al, 2002, pp.…”