Publisher description
In 1989, Chicago began an experiment with radical decentralization of power
and authority. Intertwining extensive narratives and rigorous quantitative
analyses, this book tells the story of what happened to Chicagos elementary
schools in the first four years of this reform. In 1989, Chicago began an
experiment with radical decentralization of power and authority. This book
tells the story of what happened to Chicagos elementary schools in the first
four years of this reform. Implicit in this reform is the theory that expanded
local democratic participation would stimulate organizational change within
schools, which in turn would foster improved teaching and learning. Using this
theory as a framework, the authors marshal massive quantitative and qualitative
data to examine how the reform actually unfolded at the school level.With
longitudinal case study data on 22 schools, survey responses from principals
and teachers in 269 schools, and supplementary system-wide administrative data,
the authors identify four types of school politics: strong democracy,
consolidated principal power, maintenance, and adversarial. In addition, they classify school change efforts as either systemic or
unfocused. Bringing these strands together, the authors determine that, in
about a third of the schools, expanded local democratic participation served as
a strong lever for introducing systemic change focused on improved instruction.
Finally, case studies of six actively restructuring schools illustrate how
under decentralization the principals role is recast, social support for change
can grow, and ideas and information from external sources are brought to bear
on school change initiatives. Few studies intertwine so completely extensive
narratives and rigorous quantitative analyses. The result is a complex picture
of the Chicago reform that joins the politics of local control to school
change.This volume is intended for scholars in the fields of urban education,
public policy, sociology of education, anthropology of education, and politics
of education. Comprehensive and descriptive, it is an engaging text for
graduate students and upper-level undergraduates. Local, state, and federal
policymakers who are concerned with urban education will find new and
insightful material. The book should be on reading lists and in professional development
seminars for school principals who want to garner community support for change
and for school community leaders who want more responsive local institutions.
Finally, educators, administrators, and activists in Chicago will appreciate
this detailed analysis of the early years of reform. In 1989, Chicago began an experiment with radical decentralization of power
and authority. Intertwining narratives and analyses, this book tells the story
of what happened to Chicago's elementary schools in the first four years of
this reform.
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Charting Chicago School Reform: Democratic Localism As a Lever for Change
Book reviews » Charting Chicago School Reform: Democratic Localism As a Lever for Change
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