Date of Award
2021
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
Abstract
This qualitative study sought to learn why authorizers offer current under-performing charter schools the option of turnaround, as well as how, and what models of accountability they use to set up the balance of autonomy and accountability to improve low-performing charters rather than close them. Conducting interviews with nine individuals and document reviews from five authorizers from across the nation, this study explores ways in which authorizer accountability models influence comprehensive and significant improvement processes in five states with charter schools authorized by independent charter boards, institutes of higher education, and a governmental agency across the U.S. The research provides new empirical evidence of how the varying community actors directly and indirectly view turnaround efforts of underperforming charter schools in lieu of school closure and how authorizers hold schools conducting an improvement effort accountable to achieve and sustain improvement over time through combining performance outcome and qualitative site visit accountability frameworks. The themes of this study included the two pertaining to public's perception of closure and improvement in each of the authorizers contexts, including how the purpose of school was factored into decisions about allowing a school to improve. How authorizers approached supporting school improvement and formal and informal mechanisms for holding authorizers accountable were also found. Four themes related to the accountability mechanisms authorizers used to hold schools accountable arose in the data acknowledging that all schools are held to the same accountability framework focused on outcomes of their educational program, site visits serve to monitor for improvement and identify support needed, contract year terms are used to increase the level and cadence of oversight and school autonomy is reduced only when schools fail to improve. Implications are offered pertaining to authorizer accountability and capacity, including improving authorizer accountability mechanisms and embedding equity in accountability, and determining sector involvement in improvement to address systemic issues.
Recommended Citation
Evan, Aimee, "An Investigation To Explore Optimal Contextual Conditions And Models Of Charter School Authorizer Accountability In School Improvement Efforts" (2021). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1861.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/1861