District-School Relationships in Continuous Improvement: Evidence from Michigan

• In Event: Systems Change for Equity: Insights from Design, Network, and Continuous Improvement Approaches

Abstract

This study examines district-school relationships and how they shape continuous improvement (CI), focusing on a newly launched CI process in Michigan. Drawing on coupling theory, this study explores how districts’ coupling orientations shape the work of district and school leaders, and in turn the implementation of CI process. I used interviews, observations, and documents to compare two districts with distinct coupling orientations—tight and loose. Preliminary findings suggest that goal-setting, meeting routines, and sensegiving varied in the two districts, which also influenced leadership roles and the CI process. By unpacking how relationships matter in the work of CI, this study can offer practical implications for district leaders aiming to build collaborative partnerships with schools.

Author

• Su Yon Choi, Michigan State University