When Decentralization Meets School Turnaround: Effects on Innovation

• In Event: Critical Examinations of Neoliberalism and Innovation in Education Policy Making

Abstract

This paper explores one of the central policy debates in U.S. education history—how does the decentralization affect policy innovation for low-performing schools? Proponents of decentralization argue it may trigger a more innovative approach than the ‘one-size-fits-all’ type of regulations. However, this argument may be overly simplistic. Drawing on March’s (1991) organizational learning framework, the study analyzes Florida’s school turnaround plan under decentralization. The findings show that federal government may find the decentralization has led Florida to explore new possibilities. However, Florida with solid state systems made marginalized changes to teaching practices and school operations, but radical changes in personnel management. The implications of the results are discussed in relation to existing literature and recent policy initiatives.

Author

• Changhee Lee, Vanderbilt University