School District Leaders' Beliefs About and Engagement in State Education Policy Making

• In Event: The Role of District in School Policy, Improvement, and Change

Abstract

Research has shown that education leaders interpret and implement state policy in their local context in ways that impact educational equity (Callahan & Shifrer, 2016; Coburn, 2005; Mavrogordato & White, 2017). While it is important to understand what happens when the rubber (state policy) meets the road (districts, educators, and students), this is a relatively reactionary approach to education policy. It is imperative for educators, particularly district leaders, to take a proactive approach to informing state policymakers as they make school policies in our statehouses. Drawing on interviews with over 50 district leaders across two states and a national survey of district superintendents, this mixed methods study aims to understand district leaders’ beliefs about and engagement in state education policymaking processes.

Author

• Rachel Sue White, Old Dominion University