Neither Elite nor Grassroots Networks: Educational Change Through Mid-Level Staff

• In Event: 50604 - Rethinking Educational Reform Across Contexts

Abstract

Studies of networks for educational change often focus on webs of teachers, school leaders, policymakers, and philanthropists, with little attention to staff at the middle level who arguably have immense potential to effect change. This paper theorizes the process of educational change through mid-level staff using the case of a nonprofit that places members in large public education bureaucracies. We explore a mechanism for how the strategic patchwork of staff can support change through improved bureaucracy. First, staff are intentionally placed, reputationally distinct, and purposely connected. Second, these individuals influence bureaucratic effectiveness through coordinated policies, reduced organizational friction, and information-sharing. Third, the improved coordination supports policy creation, program implementation, and candid evaluation of processes on the ground. Theoretically, the paper integrates studies of education, state bureaucracy, and civil society by illustrating how nonprofits can influence government agencies through strategic mid-level networks.

Authors

• Jose Eos Trinidad, University of California-Berkeley

• Michelle de Guzman, Ateneo de Manila University