Integrating Educational Systems for Successful Reform in Diverse Contexts

Abstract

Linguistic, ethnic, and economic diversity is a major factor influencing how school reform ought to be accomplished at local, state, and government levels. This book examines the issue of successful school reform in diverse communities. It is the first to synthesize research on educational research on educational reform pertaining to racially and linguistically diverse students. It examines what is needed at the teacher, school, district, state, and federal levels for educational reform to be successful in multicultural, multilingual settings. Conclusions are based on a careful review of hundreds of recent quantitative and qualitative studies relating to educational reform in diverse communities. The authors conceptualize education as an interconnected and interdependent policy system and discuss the key policy, relational, political, and resource linkages that assist in achieving sustainable improvement in schools serving at-risk students.

Conceptualizing Alberta District Leadership Practices: A Cross-Case Analysis

“…Providing sustained and appropriate professional development where those efforts are aimed at improved teaching and learning (Datnow, Lasky, Stringfield, & Teddie, 2006) makes a difference when applied to a narrowed array of student achievement goals. Furthermore, the practices actually make an impact when they are job-embedded (Seashore Louis, Dretzke, & Wahlstrom, 2010), ongoing and sustained (Horn & Little, 2010), aimed at building capacity related to the goals of the organization, and most effective when carried out in a community of practice (Hord & Hirsch, 2009).…”

Linking the Central Office and Its Schools for Reform

“…(winter 2007) Principal professional development. Because professional development is a primary resource linkage between a district and its schools (Datnow et al, 2006), it is important to note how these three resource partnerships altered the delivery of professional development to principals and teachers. As a result of the central office's and principals' recognizing the value of coaches and principal professional development in the Reading First schools, the superintendent divided the district into regions and hired retired principals to serve as coaches for principals, which promoted regional collaboration and networking.…”

“…In exerting control or building professionalism, districts use a variety of mechanisms or pathways (Knapp, Copland, & Talbert, 2003). In this article we explore several of these pathways or linkages such as communication, resources, structures, relationships, and ideology (Datnow, Lasky, Stringfield, & Teddlie, 2006;Lasky, 2004). We are particularly interested in how they serve as the connector or bridge between the central office and its schools and how these linkages are used to exert control and/or promote professionalism and organizational learning.…”

Distributed leadership as a mediator of whole school reform strategies for improvement planning from data.

“…When policymakers envision and legislate change in education, mandates pass through various domains of the system (Datnow, Lasky, Stringfield, & Teddlie, 2006). Because this implementation is carried out in divergent climate and cultures, with multiple actors, and in a wide range of funding contexts, the change process is far from seamless.…”

“…She described policy in terms of pendulum swings (opposing social concerns) and archeological digs (influences brought to bear by past policies). Datnow, Lasky, Stringfield, and Teddlie (2006) viewed policy as ideas and values which are responsive to the current political and social context. This perspective sees policy mandates as:…”