The Aspirations of Systemic Reform Meet the Realities of Localism

Abstract

This case study describes and analyzes how, over 30 years, a California suburban school district has responded to a succession of federal and state mandates. It examines responses at both the district office and at individual school sites, situating its analysis in the context of the school reform implementation studies. It concludes that the policy "conversation" represented by Redwood City's behavior, rather than the more ambitious agenda of systemic reform, represents the likely course of policy progression in education.

Districtwide Instructional Reform: Using Sociocultural Theory to Link Professional Learning to Organizational Support

“…There is a growing body of literature that sheds light on the mediating and potentially positive role of district central office leaders on instructional change, especially when their improvement strategies are systemic, coherent, and focused on the professional development of school leaders and classroom practitioners (McLaughlin and Talbert 2003). We know that districts mediate, for example, state policy-ignoring, aligning, misinterpreting, revising, or adapting standards-based reform policies (Chrispeels 1997;Firestone and Fairman 1998;Goertz et al 1998;Kirp and Driver 1995;Spillane 1996Spillane , 1998Spillane and Thompson 1997). Further, district administrators' interpretation of instructional reforms can shape the understanding of principals and teachers (Burch and Spillane 2004;Spillane 1994Spillane , 1998Spillane , 2000a and affect school culture (including inquiry practices, teacher learning communities, and collective problem solving; McLaughlin and Talbert 2003).…”

Rethinking Teacher Workforce Development: A Strategic Human Resource Management Perspective

“…Each can develop and implement policies and practices to address those needs and interests within a particular range of influence. And efforts to shape the teacher workforce at the broadest levels are likely to affect efforts at the most local levels, not always productively (Darling-Hammond & Sykes, 2003;Kirp & Driver, 1995). Third, by definition, development and management imply some measure of coordination and control of individuals toward some collective, valued purpose.…”

If They Knew Then What We Know Now, Why Haven't Things Changed? An Examination of District Effectiveness Research

“…Only one study purposefully selected a suburban district, one study selected four smaller districts, and four studies had a mixed sample of urban, suburban, and rural schools. Kirp and Driver (1995) conducted the only study in our database that explicitly selected a non-urban site. Their case study of a suburban school district in California explored the intersection of state and federal policy and local demands.…”