The nested systems of local school development: Understanding improved interaction and capacities in the different sub-systems of schools

Abstract

In school systems around the world, there is an increasing focus on students’ academic achievement. The challenge of how to improve schools is an important issue for all levels in the school system. However, a central question of both practical and theoretical relevance is how it is possible to understand why (or why not) school-development efforts are successful. The purpose of this article is to explore the ecology of local school development through the case of a medium-sized municipality in Sweden, based on empirical data from two follow-up research projects. The analytical framework draws from organisational theory and new institutional theory, where focus is directed towards how different sub-systems of the school organisation interact with and respond to aspects of development work and the implications for outcomes of school-development initiatives. Findings show that great investment of resources from the central level in the local school organisation necessarily does not lead to changes in teaching practice. School-development initiatives are unlikely to be successful unless they engage and re-couple the involved sub-systems. Finally, we discuss how the introduction of Expert Teachers as a new sub-system has the ability to work as a link between other sub-systems and to promote school development.

Relations between an improving Swedish LEA and school principals with joint quality and improvement responsibilities

“…Other studies have considered quality and improvement work in the relationship between LEAs and local school principals and teachers (e.g. Adolfsson & Alvunger, 2017, 2020Nordholm, 2015b). Nordholm (2015b) studied sensemaking in a municipality-led temporary organisation introduced to support the implementation of a new curriculum.…”

The Network Runs the Schools: From a Loose to a Tightly Coupled School District

“…Thus, it is often the case that rather than complying with the principal's vision, teachers tend to follow norms set up in the school culture, even if those mean that teachers act relatively autonomously. Given these realities, and that schools often exist as more loose than tight, the question most often is not whether to more tightly couple, but whether the entire organization or just facets of it should become part of a more tightly coupled system (Adolfsson & Alvunger, 2017).…”

Enhancing pre-K-12 student learning outcomes: The need for synergies of policy-makers, school administrators and parents

“…For instance, as country emerging from a decade plus civil war, Liberia faces countless constraints including implementing its free and compulsory basic education policy (Waydon et al, 2016), covering grades 1-9. Consequently, raising the quality of education to facilitate student success is a matter of concern for education stakeholders (Singh et al, 2015;Jones, 2016;Adolfsson and Alvunger, 2017). Stakesholders are interested in necessary ways that improve students' learning and development (Singh et al, 2015), amidst increased enrolment at various levels in view of global policy instruments to provide education opportunities for all (UNESCO, 2017).…”