Developing, Managing, and Sustaining Improvement Networks: Inside the Black Box of Hub Leadership

• In Event: Organizing Networks to Accelerate School Improvement in Pursuit of Equitable Educational Opportunity

Abstract

Purpose:
The purpose of this paper is to develop a framework conceptualizing the practice of hub leadership in school improvement networks.

Conceptual Framework:
Network-based educational improvement commonly features a hub organization that collaborates with schools to address problems of practice using disciplined approaches to analysis, design, implementation, and evaluation. Hubs can be situated both within and beyond formal educational governance structures. In either case, responsibility for the work of the hub and for the establishment, work, and success of the network rests with hub leaders (Authors et al., 2019; Martin & Gobstein, 2015).

The capabilities of hub leaders to shoulder these responsibilities is an assumption of the networked improvement movement, and one on which funders wager formidable investments (Authors, 2016). Yet the broader educational ecology has yet to evolve to structure a career trajectory into hub leadership roles; to structure professional education and certification; and to ensure transparency and accountability. Moreover, hub leadership has yet to become a central focus of research on network-based educational improvement, such that any efforts to build system-level infrastructure to support hub leaders is hamstrung by a lack of a theoretical and empirical knowledge base (Authors, 2011).

Modes of Inquiry:
The proposed paper works across two lines of inquiry to develop a conceptual framework detailing core domains of practice among hub leaders in educational improvement networks. The first line of inquiry engaged 28 senior hub leaders in established, high-functioning networks in interviews about their daily practice. The second line of inquiry surveyed a diverse sample of 124 hub leaders in variably-developed networks about their work responsibilities.

Data/Analysis:
The first line of inquiry included interviews with 28 hub leaders from 14 leading networks recognized by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching’s “Spotlight on Quality in Continuous Improvement” about responsibilities and complications in their daily practice. Transcripts were analyzed using open, iterative coding to identify categories of responsibilities and complications.

The second line of inquiry included responses from 250+ respondents who identified themselves as hub staff members on the 2020/2021 Network Health Survey administered to networks participating in the Gates Foundations’ Networks for School Improvement initiative. Survey items generated evidence of the demographics of hub leaders, their core work responsibilities, and their reflections on their work and professional development. Closed response items were analyzed using conventional quantitative methods; open response items were analyzed using open, iterative coding and categorization.

Results:
These two lines of inquiry suggest that the work of hub leaders goes beyond supporting improvement activity within the network to include: a) establishing and maintaining the hub and the network as viable organizations; b) managing relationships between these organizations and their environments; and c) constant ad hoc problem solving arising from voluntary participation in networks, weaknesses in legacy educational and improvement infrastructure and practices in members, and uncertainty and turbulence in environments.

Significance:
These findings have potential to support the work and professional development of a novel category of educational leaders who shoulder responsibility for new, leading approaches to large-scale educational improvement.

Authors

• Donald J. Peurach, University of Michigan
  Presenting Author

• Megan Duff, Vanderbilt University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Elizabeth Jones, University of Michigan
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jennifer Zoltners Sherer, University of Pittsburgh
  Non-Presenting Author

• Chris Matthis, Partners for Network Improvement
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kelly McMahon, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
  Non-Presenting Author

• Anthony S. Bryk, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching
  Non-Presenting Author