Georgia’s Charter School Amendment Strategic Action Field: A Case Study of Incumbents and Challengers

• In Event: Philanthropy and Charter School Practice and Policy: State-Based Case Studies

Abstract

Objectives
We present a case-study of Georgia’s successful 2012 constitutional amendment to support charter schools. In 2008, state officials appointed a commission to approve petitions for a public “commission charter school.” Seven districts sued the state superintendent, Georgia Department of Education, and Georgia Charter Schools Commission, resulting in a decision in favor of the commission based on constitutional claims. The case was appealed to the state Supreme Court, which overturned the lower court’s ruling. A legislative amendment to the state’s constitution was initiated, passed, and put to referendum in 2012. Our study examines the network-coalitions, the resources used to support each campaign, and their perspectives of the issue as framed to Georgia voters.

Theoretical framework
We employ Fligstein and McAdam’s (2011) theory of Strategic Action Fields (SAF) to conceptualize competing networks of actors on both sides of the Georgia’s charter school movement. SAF theory addresses a state of flux in the field of public education, suggesting in this policy arena ongoing competition, conflict, and change. Within a field, sets of actors and organizations battle over scarce resources. Incumbents look to maintain political influence, money, and control over educational services, while challengers mobilize to capture these. Winners and losers emerge, altering policy, practice, and resource allocation. SAFs can illuminate origins and affects of policy movements and counter-movements and account for complex-networks and alignments of organizations and actors.

Methods and Data Sources
Our data come from government documents, news releases, newspaper articles, hearings, meetings, and online resources from philanthropic and network actors. We have expanded data-collection to include financial-information, using Foundation Center Online’s database of IRS tax filings. Documents for this study also include legislative history on relevant state laws, the bill establishing the state’s charter school commission and the Charter School Amendment. Our method is document/archival analysis, helping us understand the development, positioning, and financing of incumbents and challengers in this policy arena.

Results
Findings suggest the domain of state-level charter school policy serves as a strategic action field, a site of conflict and competition over charter school referenda and legislation. The incumbents, a network of public school officials, advocacy groups, and grassroots organizations, framed their defense as protecting public resources. Challengers. a network of private philanthropists, non-profit organizations, and policy-makers, framed the issue as one of school quality, efficiency, and effectiveness. Challengers out-resourced incumbents to shape public opinion through a marketing campaign with resources and networks both inside and outside the state, demonstrating increasing influence over public agendas in education.

Significance
This case study illustrates a trend worthy of examination within the movement to privatize education, providing a mechanism wherein private interests can seek their own self-interests through already existing government structures and with public subsidies. Our analysis suggests the extent to which philanthropists are involved with coalitions of challengers within the state of Georgia to further their agendas in regard to public education. Our study suggests the erosion of incumbent’s control and political power as related to the network of challengers—its structure, scope and reach, and financial backing.

Authors

• Kathleen P. deMarrais, University of Georgia

• Jarrett B. Warshaw, University of Georgia