Seeking Solutions or Control?: Investigating Michigan's School District Dissolution Policy

• In Event: AERA Graduate Student Research-in-Progress Session 5
  In Roundtable Session: Understanding the Impact of District- and State-Level Education Policies: Gender-Neutral Language Implementation, District Dissolution, Library Closures, and Post-COVID Priorities (Table 12)

Abstract

In 2013, Michigan Public Act 96 empowered the State Superintendent to dissolve two school districts without input from district leaders. By applying Yanow's Interpretive Policy Analysis and Gibler's Theory of Domestic Change, this study investigates the intent of Public Act 96 by examining the policy's development, implementation, and interpretation. This study builds on existing educational policy research that finds Michigan state takeover laws are disproportionately applied to impoverished, majority-Black districts. Through document analyses and semi-structured interviews, this study seeks to understand how beliefs, values, and societal contexts influenced the development and implementation of Michigan's school district dissolution policy.

Author

• Ketrina N. Childs, National Heritage Academies