Improving Low-Achieving Schools: Building State Capacity to Support School Improvement Through Race to the Top. (February 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Childs, Joshua; Russell, Jennifer Lin
• Is Part Of: Urban education. Volume 52:Number 2(2017)
• Page Start: 236
• Page End: 266
• Publication Date: 2017-02
• Subjects: educational policy -- school improvement -- capacity -- state education agencies; Education, Urban -- Periodicals; Enseignement en milieu urbain -- Périodiques; Éducation; Milieu urbain; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 370.91732
• DOI: 10.1177/0042085916656899
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0042-0859

Abstract

Improving low-achieving schools is a critical challenge facing urban education. Recent national policy shifts have pressed states to take an expanded role in school improvement efforts. In 2009, a federal grant competition called Race to the Top (RttT) compelled states to improve their capacity to implement ambitious education reform agendas. Drawing on the theory of organizational capacity, the study sampled five RttT winning states' plans to support improving low-achieving schools. Findings indicate that states sought to build capacity to productively enact an expanded role and focus resources and expertise toward school improvement initiatives.