This article identifies key elements of the “theory of action” embodied in reconstitution reforms and examines them in light of findings acquired from a two-year study that documents what happened when a particular rendition of reconstitution was enacted and implemented. The evidence from this study suggests that the “theory of action” embedded in reconstitution reforms may be seriously, if not fatally flawed. On every critical count, the dominant patterns of implementation ran counter to the major premises (and promises) of the policy. This article considers alternative interpretations of the data and suggests directions for future research.
Structural equation modeling was used to assess the plausibility of a conceptual model specifying hypothesized linkages among perceptions of characteristics of standards-based evaluation, work environment mediators, and career satisfaction and other outcomes. Four comprehensive high schools located in two neighboring counties in southern California provided the data for this study. The schools_ districts had recently developed and implemented evaluation systems based on six California Standards for the Teaching Profession generated in 1997. One hundred and seventy-eight teachers responded to survey questions designed to capture the following constructs: understandable/relevant standards, satisfactory/ helpful evaluation, role ambiguity, effort performance-rating linkage, work criteria autonomy, career satisfaction, organizational commitment, and perceptions of the effectiveness of the evaluation system. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess whether the items measuring evaluation fit two hypothesized constructs. Structural equation modeling results indicated that there are two mediators in the evaluationcareer satisfaction relationship: role ambiguity and work criteria autonomy.
Recently, the question of how best to compensate teachers for the work they do has become newsworthy again. The authors report on work undertaken in three American Federation of Teachers (AFT) sites to develop new and comprehensive compensation plans. All three plans are viewed (locally and nationally) as comprehensive reforms of existing compensation systems, yet each plan is distinctive as well. Each of the compensation plans examined combines aspects of different compensation alternatives. Thus, each site is developing its own model, although the components are drawn from an apparently small set of alternative arrangements. Using union bargainers’descriptions as a starting point, the authors compare the three plans and their implementation (actual and proposed) and discuss several observations that bargainers made about their work. The article concludes with some observations concerning the emerging compensation negotiating process and products and some of the directions that compensation reform is moving in.
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