High-Stakes Accountability: External Forces' Influence on New York City High School Principals' Experiences

• In Event: Design and Implementation of Current Education Policies

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to understand how the use of accountability policies by external forces influenced the experiences and perceptions of 12 retired New York City principals who worked in high-poverty, minority schools. Policy scholarship and organizational control framed the study and highlighted the socio-political, power dynamics, and historical contexts of accountability faced by principals. The findings revealed how external policies were incoherent and not aligned to the reality of schooling, expanded education inequities, and created disadvantaged learning conditions. Principals were under increased oversight and restrictive policies that undermined their schools’ improvement efforts. The coercive power of the policies and threats against schools influenced principals’ decision making towards meeting the external policy goals of the system.

Author

• Michele R Williams, Fordham University
  Presenting Author