Bringing Autonomy Back to the School Level: A Descriptive Analysis of the Philadelphia School Redesign Initiative
Open Access
Author:
Johnson, Catherine G
Graduate Program:
Educational Theory and Policy
Degree:
Master of Arts
Document Type:
Master Thesis
Date of Defense:
None
Committee Members:
Mindy L Kornhaber, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor Dana Lynn Mitra, Thesis Advisor/Co-Advisor
Keywords:
school reform redesign elementary school middle school Philadelphia school autonomy
Abstract:
This study explores the redesign plans of three schools that are a part of Cohort One for the Philadelphia School Districts School Redesign Initiative. This study particularly focuses on the goals of each redesign team and the strategies they are implementing to reach those goals. A qualitative approach was taken in this study using face-to-face interviews for data collection. Two members of the redesign teams at Tilden Middle School, John Story Jenks Academy of the Arts and Sciences, and Laura H. Carnell Elementary shared their knowledge of their schools’ redesign plans. While there was similarity in the goals of each school’s redesign plan, each school implemented a unique set of strategies to achieve those goals. This research provides the foundation for future research on the School Redesign Initiative.