Reform theory: expanded local democratic participation stimulates organizational change that fosters improved teaching and learning¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

The book is organized around an implicit causal theory of the Chicago reform: expanded local democratic participation is expected to stimulate organizational change within schools, which in turn fosters improved teaching and learning. The authors use this theory as their analytic framework, marshaling quantitative and qualitative data to examine how the reform actually unfolded at the school level. As the overview states, "Implicit in this reform is the theory that expanded local democratic participation would stimulate organizational change within schools, which in turn would foster improved teaching and learning."

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Longitudinal data on school politics and change efforts to test the theory's links

Constraints¶

• Applied to elementary schools under Chicago's 1989 decentralization reform in its first four years

Target Learners¶

• Elementary school communities under local school council governance

Target Learning Objectives¶

• Improved teaching and learning through organizational change

Claims¶

• School change efforts under the reform are classifiable as either systemic or unfocused [+M]

Related Theories¶

• Four-type taxonomy of school politics under Chicago decentralization: strong democracy, consolidated principal power, maintenance, and adversarial
• Four topical areas organize Chicago school reform research: governance, teaching and learning, quality of schools, and systemic change
• Four types of local school politics in Chicago elementary schools under the 1988 reform

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Chicago Elementary School Decentralization Reform: The First Four Years. (1989). https://www.amazon.com