Power and Politics in the Adoption of School Reform Models

Abstract

States, districts, and schools are promoting and attempting whole school improvement through the use of externally developed reform designs. This article examines how and why schools adopt reforms and the consequences of those processes for reform implementation and sustainability. Case study data are presented on 22 schools, and three types of reform adoption processes are discussed: (a) districts encouraging schools to choose among a set of reforms; (b) districts pushing schools to adopt a particular reform; and (c) principals bringing reform designs to their schools. In no case did the impetus for reform adoption arise among teachers in these schools. Because a hierarchical approach is evident in each of these reform adoption scenarios, data are analyzed in terms of a micropolitical perspective. Findings show that the power relations surrounding reform adoption often thwarted genuine initial buy-in and interest in change among local educators, as well as in some cases, their subsequent implementation efforts. Educators often also had varying perspectives on how the adoption process occurred, suggesting differences in perspective on the reform itself. Recommendations for how the reform adoption process could be improved are discussed.