Capturing the essence of change: a study about change in Rockwell schools

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Jeff James (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Ulrich Reitzug

Abstract: The purpose of my study is to investigate what a school system did to stimulate change and discover the qualitative outcomes of shifting from a common bureaucratic school culture to that of Performance Excellence. The methodology is a case study approach of the change in the Rockwell School district (pseudonym) from 2000 to the present day. Elementary, middle, and high school teachers, central office personnel, and school board members were interviewed as part of this qualitative study. Results of the study showed that Rockwell School's implementation of Performance Excellence impacted the district's academic ranking over the implementation period and has become institutionalized as the way the district operates. Whether an organization chooses Baldrige or some other change initiative, it is key that the steps outlined here be considered. These include planning for the change initiative by gaining shared meaning across the organization on what the change should look like. The steps are (a) developing a systems approach, (b) building a school system instead of a system of schools, (c) using data driven decision making to implement change, (d) shifting from a culture of teaching to one of learning, (e) implementing an infrastructure that helps employees gain new knowledge and skills, and (f) moving toward a continuous improvement process.

Additional Information

Publication
Dissertation
Language: English
Date: 2013
Keywords
Culture, Leadership, Performance Excellence
Subjects
School improvement programs $z United States $v Case studies
School management and organization $z United States $v Case studies
Educational evaluation $z United States $v Case studies

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