51.067 - Institutional Perspectives on Education Policy: New Directions in Theory and Research

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Institutional theory offers a valuable lens for examining the intertwined micro- and macro-level forces shaping the K-12 education policy landscape. Recent work in institutional theory has offered increasing attention to processes of change, and also to logics, the collections of symbolic representations and material practices that constitute societal institutions. We bring together leading policy researchers who are using these theoretical developments to understand and explain new waves of change in education, including school choice, state capacity-building, and family engagement. This panel offers insight into the ways that institutional processes interact with educational actors and organizations, and illuminates the value of applying newer institutional perspectives to understand the design and implementation of education policy.

Sub Unit

• SIG-Organizational Theory

Chair

• Taylor N. Allbright, University of Southern California

Papers

• Kaleidoscope of School Options: Differentiating School Missions, Values, and Practices in Los Angeles - Julie A. Marsh, University of Southern California; Taylor N. Allbright, University of Southern California; Katrina E. Bulkley, Montclair State University; Kate Kennedy, University of Southern California

• Conceptualizations of Family Engagement in Connecticut - Daron E Cyr, University of Connecticut - Storrs; Sarah L. Woulfin, University of Connecticut

• "The Business of Teaching and Learning": Examining the Institutional Logic of Continuous Improvement in Educational Organizations - Susan C. Bush-Mecenas, Northwestern University

• The Strength of the Relational State: How Technical Assistance Mandates Are Enacted to Effect Institutional Change - Ebony N. Bridwell-Mitchell, Harvard University

Discussant

• Patricia Burch, University of Southern California