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Citation:

Mediratta, K. (2004). Constituents of change: Community organizations and public education reform. New York: Institute for Education and Social Policy; Steinhardt School of Education; New York University. http://www.equaleducation.org/research.asp?pubid=768

Annotation:
The purpose of this study is to examine community organizations that work toward school reform and to define how organizing helps generate school change. This is the first report in a series and was designed to describe the study groups' values, strategies, and methods for affecting school reform. The organizations' theories of change were defined, their education organizing strategies were identified and detailed, and the impact of their activities on improvement in schools was examined. Saul Alinsky's model of foundational principles for community organizing, and the model's subsequent evolution, were discussed. In addition, a community organizing theory of change was described. Initial results illustrate intermediate community outcomes including leadership development, neighborhood mobilization, specific organizing campaigns, and relationship building with school administrators. Initial school system outcomes included decision-maker responsiveness, willingness to participate in or negotiate school reform activities, and greater dissemination of data about school system performance to the community. Researchers employed case study methodology to illustrate the process of organizing and analyzed how the environment for improving student achievement changed in the selected sites. Observations of organizing activities were collected through interviews, and school- and district-level data over a five year period were analyzed. The data were obtained from eight groups that were participating in organizing for school reform. The groups were chosen for their commitment to education organizing and activity over the past decade, as well as for achievement and geographic diversity. Most of the groups were affiliated with national organizing networks, operated in large urban school districts, and addressed multiple issues beyond school reform. This study is limited by itsÕ small sample size. Future studies, including randomized controlled trials, should focus on determining the effectiveness of these strategies.