Full metadata
Title
Becoming a college-going district: variation, complexity, and policy implementation
Description
This study examined the enactment of a high school district's college-going mission. Treating mission enactment as a case of policy implementation, this study used the lens of complexity theory to understand how system actors and contexts influenced variation and adaptation. Data collection methods included observations, interviews, focus groups, and surveys of various system actors including district staff, principals, counselors, teachers, and students. This study used a mixed methods analytic inductive technique and Social Network Analysis to describe the mission's implementation. Findings reflect that the mission was a vaguely defined value statement; school staff reacted to the mission with limited buy-in and confusion about what it really meant in practice. The mission lacked clear boundaries of what constituted related programs or policies. Consequently, in this site-based district, schools unevenly implemented related programs and policies. School staff wanted more guidance from district staff and clear expectations for mission-related actions. To help meet this need, the district was moving to a more centralized, hierarchical approach. Though they were providing information about the mission, district staff were not providing specific, responsive support to organize school staff's efforts around implementation. District staff were trying to find an approach that both supported schools towards a common vision and provided flexibility for school-level adaptations. Yet, the district had not yet fully formed its position as a facilitator of implementation. Further, as the district lacked a cohesive measurement system, the effectiveness of this initiative was unknown. This study sought to present policy implementation as varied phenomenon, influenced by system actors and conditions. Findings suggest that while policy cannot determine actions, district staff could help create conditions that would support implementation.
Date Created
2011
Contributors
- Dunn, Lenay Danielle (Author)
- Berliner, David (Thesis advisor)
- Danzig, Arnold (Committee member)
- Smith, Mary Lee (Committee member)
- Arizona State University (Publisher)
Topical Subject
- Education Policy
- college-going
- Complexity Theory
- district support
- Mixed Methods
- Policy Implementation
- Social Network Analysis
- School districts--United States--Administration.
- School districts
- Education, Secondary--Aims and objectives--United States.
- College preparation programs--United States--Management.
- College preparation programs
Resource Type
Extent
xii, 291 p. : chiefly col
Language
eng
Copyright Statement
In Copyright
Primary Member of
Peer-reviewed
No
Open Access
No
Handle
https://hdl.handle.net/2286/R.I.14431
Statement of Responsibility
by Lenay Danielle Dunn
Description Source
Viewed on Dec. 8, 2014
Level of coding
full
Note
thesis
Partial requirement for: Ph. D., Arizona State University, 2011
bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (p. 234-247)
Field of study: Educational leadership and policy studies
System Created
- 2012-08-24 06:12:04
System Modified
- 2021-08-30 01:49:28
- 3 years 2 months ago
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