Internal, Moral, and Market Accountability: Leading Urban Schools During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

When the Covid-19 pandemic forced U.S. schools to shutter and teach remotely in March 2020, several states suspended external measures intended to hold educators accountable for student learning. Some scholars, including ourselves, welcomed this moratorium, having long questioned whether external measures could genuinely advance student performance (Francois & Weiner, 2020). Though external accountability proponents believe standardized tests and formal teacher evaluations motivate teachers to advance student learning (see Lee & Reeves, 2012 for a review), others argue that deficitoriented discourse about urban schools 1 fueled an accountability era that has sabotaged equitable outcomes (Au, 2016;Darling-Hammond, 2007;Horn, 2018). We heard deficit-oriented thinking in talk of the "learning loss" urban school students experienced during remote and hybrid learning (Gabriel, 2020). And we continue to hear it now that students have returned to school amid expectations to frequently administer high-stakes tests to monitor academic progress.Despite these debates, we know little about how urban school principals perceived and navigated the pause in external accountability mandates. If

“Our Teaching Transcends a Subject Matter”: Learning From Black Women Educators’ Beliefs about Literacy Instruction During Extraordinary Times

“…Kimberly’s “awakening moment,” beginning in the spring of 2020 as young people nationwide protested for Black lives during the Covid-19 pandemic, reveals the inextricable relationship between lived experiences and evolving consciousness, a dynamic that Black feminist theorists emphasize. During this extraordinary moment, Kimberly’s reflections about positive experiences with students and challenging her colleagues to connect with learners undergird her growing opposition to harmful narratives that positioned students as flailing during virtual instruction (Francois & Weiner, 2022). Indeed, Kimberly believed that students deserved meaningful pedagogy even while they faced challenges.…”

“…Furthermore, additional inquiries can investigate if and how schools support teachers in navigating the complexities of school life. The 2020 school closures—and the subsequent moratoriums on external accountability measures—opened possibilities for a new normal as schools serving diverse students cultivated their internal expectations for teaching (Francois & Weiner, 2022). Additional research can investigate Black women teachers’ both shared and unique approaches to navigating the current sociopolitical climate among teachers.…”

“…Hardly operating as empty vessels, Black women educators draw from their experiences and knowledge as members of intersecting oppressed groups to develop beliefs that can positively impact diverse students' learning (Gershenson et al, 2016;Goldhaber et al, 2019;Villegas & Irvine, 2010). These findings mirror research that describes educators' willingness to innovate their teaching, support their students, and encourage their colleagues when schools shuttered in March 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic (Francois & Weiner, 2022;Weiner et al, 2021). Scholarly contributions on Black women educators and teachers' actions during the pandemic compelled me to explore an understudied phenomenon born from these two areas: how Black women teachers develop beliefs and reflect on their actions regarding literacy instruction for diverse learners.…”

Navigating Policy and Local Context in Times of Crisis: District and School Leader Responses to the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…Notwithstanding, emerging evidence about the impact of COVID-19 on K-12 school systems has been largely anecdotal (but see De Voto & Superfine, 2023; Goldhaber et al, 2022 ; Grossmann et al, 2021 ; Kaul et al, 2022 ; Kuhfeld et al, 2020 , 2022 ; Pressley, 2021 ). Notably, few studies have empirically examined its impact on K-12 leadership sensemaking and subsequent responses at the district/school-level (but see DeMatthews et al, 2021 ; De Voto & Superfine, 2023 ; Francois & Weiner, 2022 ; Harris & Jones, 2020 ; Lochmiller, 2021 ; McLoed & Dulsky, 2021 ; Kaul et al, 2022 ; Lifto, 2020 ; Thornton, 2021 ). Moreover, no known studies have fully explored K-12 leadership sensemaking to COVID-19 in terms of the broader literature examining federal/state-level policy guidance and differences in local organizational capacities (e.g., leader expertise, human/fiscal resources).…”