A Narrative and Critical Policy Analysis of Providence Public Schools During the State Takeover

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 4:15 pm - Gold 1
  In Roundtable Session: Fractured Narratives, Contested Policies: Critical Analyses of Power in Education

Abstract

The 2019 takeover of the Providence Public School District (PPSD), initially supported by many community members, quickly became a subject of contention. Those of us engaged in a participatory action research (PAR) project with caregivers and youth wondered if the state-controlled district would be responsive to our community-led educational initiatives. This study examined the ecology of PPSD to determine the degree to which stakeholders (including parents, youth, and teachers) were able to participate in district decisions during the takeover and what factors hindered their participation. Findings from a narrative and critical policy analysis of key stakeholders showed that at best they played a marginal role in decision making in the district, in spite of rhetoric claiming deference to community leadership.

Author

• Adrienne C. Goss, Clark Atlanta University