Approved to fail: a case study of leadership at three new high schools
Journal of Educational Administration
ISSN: 0957-8234
Article publication date: 20 September 2021
Issue publication date: 11 October 2021
Abstract
Purpose
This paper explores how leaders of new public high schools – one charter and two innovation schools – navigated the journey from school-in-theory to school-in-practice during the school's first three years. School leaders at charter and innovation schools have increased freedom over curriculum, budget, scheduling and personnel when compared to leaders in traditional public schools.
Design/methodology/approach
Using case study research, this qualitative, multisite study of school leaders at three schools in an urban district in Colorado examined the realities leaders experienced during the first three years of their schools. School leaders participated in semi-structured interviews, which were coded and analyzed for data individual to each school and across the three schools. Initial school design plans and district accountability data were also reviewed.
Findings
The study identified two distinct challenges for leaders of these new schools: (1) opening a new school contributes to burnout among school leaders and (2) school leaders face systemic, district-level barriers that impede implementation of a school's founding mission and vision.
Research limitations/implications
A qualitative study of three standalone charter and innovation schools in one urban school district limits generalizability.
Originality/value
The lived experience of school leaders at new, standalone charter and innovation schools is largely neglected in empirical studies. This research illuminates key struggles school leaders experience as they seek to establish new schools with fidelity to district-approved school plans.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This research was supported by Kent Seidel and the Center for Practice Engaged Education Research at the University of Colorado–Denver.
Funding: The author received financial support for this research from the Donnell-Kay Foundation and the Rose Community Foundation, but received no financial support for the authorship and/or publication of this article.
Declaration of conflicting interest: There are no known conflicts of interest.
Citation
Bridich, S.M. (2021), "Approved to fail: a case study of leadership at three new high schools", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 59 No. 6, pp. 794-810. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-03-2021-0058
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited