It Takes a Village: A Case Study of Stakeholder Narratives in State Takeover Districts

• In Event: Navigating State Policy, Governance, and Reform

Abstract

The case study takes the call of Safir & Dugan, 2021 seriously to "flip the dashboard" from a focus on state standardized test results to analyzing "street data" (Safir & Dugan, 2021)– these are personal testimonies of participants in three Ohio districts governed by academic distress policies and state takeovers (2015-2023). The data captures the nuances of the discursive moves and actions to engage in activism and resist oppression within urban settings influenced by culture, traditions, and history. Embracing the concept of "street scholarship," this study amplifies the voices of stakeholders who have experienced state takeovers, revealing the implications and limitations of such interventions that cannot be fully captured by numbers alone.

Author

• Quinci Bone't Teer, Cleveland State University