Public education in Chile has been steadily losing students as a result of the implementation, for the last 35 years, of a market model. In this paper we exemplify how a structural problem (public schools' declining enrollment) created by neoliberal educational policies is transformed into an individual problem to be managed by the public school principal. Principals must sign a performance-based contract that specifies sanctions and incentives for meeting enrollment targets. The current paper examines, through data produced by in-depth interviews and shadowing, how 19 principals worked toward that Metas, Amenazas y (des)Confianza: La Troika del Nuevo Management para Directores de Escuelas Públicas en ChileResumen: La educación pública en Chile ha progresivamente perdido alumnos como resultado de la aplicación, por los últimos 35 años, de un modelo de mercado. En este trabajo ejemplificamos cómo un problema estructural (disminución de la matrícula en las escuelas públicas) creado por políticas educativas neoliberales se transforma en un problema individual que deber ser gestionado por el director de la escuela pública. Los directores deben firmar un contrato basado en el cumplimiento de metas en el cual se especifican las sanciones y los incentivos asociados al cumplimiento de las metas de matrícula. El presente estudio analiza, a través de datos producidos en entrevistas y shadowing, cómo 19 directores trabajan para cumplir esta meta. Los resultados muestran que, en promedio, los directores dedican 24 % de su tiempo a realizar tareas de marketing. Así, han desarrollado la identidad de emprendedor promovida por modelos de cuasimercado para la gobernanza de las escuelas. A través de esta iniciativa empresarial manejan diversas amenazas que representan barreras a las posibilidades de alcanzar sus metas de matrícula. Palabras-clave: Políticas educativas, neoliberalismo; nueva gestión pública; directores de escuelas; identidad profesional. Metas, ameaças e (des)Confiança: A Troika da Nova Gestão para Diretores de Escolas Públicas no ChileResumo: Educação pública no Chile tem vindo a perder alunos como resultado da implementação , nos últimos 35 anos , de um modelo de mercado . Esta pesquisa, exemplificam como um problema estrutural ( declínio de matrículas de escolas públicas ) criado por políticas educativas neoliberais é transformado em um problema individual a ser gerido pelo diretor da escola pública. Os diretores devem assinar um contrato baseado em desempenho que especifica sanções e incentivos para cumprir as metas de inscrição. O presente trabalho analisa , através de dados produzidos por entrevistas e shadowing, como 19 diretores trabalharam em direção a esse alvo. Os resultados mostram que para gerenciar de matrículas, em média, 24 % do seu tempo se usa realizando tarefas de marketing. Diretores , assim , desenvolveram self empresarial promovido pela escola modelos de governança quase-mercado . Através deste empreendimento diretores gerido várias ameaças que representam barreiras para as possibi...
In a context characterised by triple sources of accountability demands, principals in Chile are required to mobilise change to raise performance indicators. School improvement is a complex endeavour—a complexity that is intensified for newly appointed principals, particularly when placed in a high-poverty, ineffective school. This article explores changes introduced by newly appointed principals placed in elementary public schools that were struggling ( n = 4) and in schools that were sinking ( n = 5). Findings show that all participants converged on actions to promote changes in: staffing, redesigning the organisation, and managing instruction. The quality of the actions, however, differed by type of school, highlighting the importance of defining policies for strengthening school leadership that take into account differences among schools. Induction will provide needed support at the individual level, but it might be insufficient support if other measures at the district level fail to create conditions, such as staffing, so the arrival of a new principal is indeed an opportunity to reverse a downward trajectory of an ineffective, high-poverty school.
Purpose Chile has developed the school improvement networks (SINs) strategy to support the work of school leaders. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the functioning and effect of the SINs strategy as perceived by principals and curriculum coordinators across the country. Design/methodology/approach An adapted version of the Educational Collaborative Network Questionnaire was applied to a sample of 1,723 participants from 1,375 schools distributed in 398 networks. Descriptive, factor and sub-group statistical analyses by school performance categories and by different roles within these schools and networks are presented. Findings Results indicate that school leaders perceive SINs as an opportunity to work effectively in shared projects that can later be implemented in their own schools. Participants indicate that they can share knowledge in their networks and use it to solve problems in their own schools, which is especially relevant for secondary school leaders who work in difficult circumstances. Results suggest that it is important to facilitate greater autonomy for school leaders in their networks, especially regarding decision making about network goals and activities that are more significant to their contexts. Originality/value This is a national study of a recent school improvement strategy, which provides evidence, from the perspective of school leaders, of its strengths and improvement areas. This study shows that despite being in a competitive context, principals and curriculum coordinators value the opportunities to learn from and with others. These results can be of value for other contexts attempting to promote school networks as a means for school and system improvement.
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