Inside the Black Box of School Reform: Explaining the how and why of change at<i>Getting Results</i>schools

Abstract

This article reports key findings from a process‐focused external evaluation that compared a subset of Getting Results project schools and comparison schools in order to understand the dynamics of school‐wide reform efforts at these primary schools. Findings shed light on the “black box” ofschool reform and illuminate the limited empirical basis for understanding the inner workings of most reform efforts. We describe how Getting Results Model elements—goals, indicators, assistance, leadership, and settings—worked in concert to improve teaching and learning at project schools. We also describe factors that inhibited and promoted change, as well as implications for how whole‐school reform might be accomplished through purposeful manipulation of these essential change elements.