Contracting for Coherence: Comparing Two Approaches to District Improvement in New York City

• In Event: Systemic Issues in Educational Improvement

Abstract

Reforming schools at scale requires crafting coherence among district offices and schools so that system actors share similar objectives. Over the past twenty years, two mayoral administrations in New York City took distinct approaches to motivating school-level actors. Using Principal-Agent theory, this comparative case study analyzes contractual relationships among parties implementing Bloomberg and de Blasio’s theories of action for system-wide reform. Findings emerge from iterative coding of observation field notes and 82 interviews conducted over six years. The Bloomberg and de Blasio theories of action varied in their approaches to ameliorating the key challenges of Principal-Agent contracts. Findings illustrate how strategies for managing these relationships impact district-wide coherence, pointing toward structures and practices that help align school and district objectives.

Authors

• Priscilla Wohlstetter, Teachers College, Columbia University

• Megan Duff, University of Pittsburgh

• Clare Buckley Flack, Research Alliance for New York City Schools