The Implementation Gap: Understanding Reform in High Schools

Citation

Newton, J.W. (2010), "The Implementation Gap: Understanding Reform in High Schools", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 48 No. 3, pp. 429-432. https://doi.org/10.1108/09578231011041134

The Implementation Gap: Understanding Reform in High Schools is not another text that sets out to expose the dire state of our educational system in the USA, nor is it a book that focuses solely on the results of reform programs implemented throughout our country. Instead it is a book that outlines the challenges of implementing reform programs and seeks an answer to the question of why they yield such varying results.

In the opening chapter of the text, the editors, Jonathan A. Supovitz and Elliot H. Weinbaum, acknowledge that the idea of systematic educational reform has been prevalent since the turn of the century. Like many other studies they admit that reform movements often fail to meet the initial objectives or desired outcomes set forth by program creators and implementers alike. Supovitz and Weinbaum seize this opportunity to focus specifically on how the implementation process affects the impact of school reforms.

In the second chapter, Supovitz and Weinbaum clinically define implementation as (p. 2) “the straight forward act of carrying out or completing a plan or action”. Upon recounting the history of implementation research they find one common theme; that regardless of the reform there is bound to be variation in the implementation process which directly impacts the outcomes of the program. As referenced on several occasions this variation can be attributed to how (p. 10) “a complex combination of individual, social, and organizational characteristics interact and influence the pace and content of program implementation”. At this point Supovitz and Weinbaum unveil the (p. 10) Consortium for Policy Research in Education (CPRE) Study of Implementation Variation, which is “designed to examine the expected variability, to understand what it looks like and why it occurred, and what distinguished cases of productive adaptation from cases of destructive mutation”. The value and strength of the study is two‐fold. The first strength is the design of the study. The second is the ability of Supovitz and Weinbaum's associates to articulate their findings and draw thoughtful conclusions from their research.

The editors explain that the CPRE study specifically examines the implementation of three types of school reform in 15 diverse American high schools. The types of reform that were deliberately selected include two comprehensive school reforms, two literacy reforms, and one data reform program. Three schools at different points in the implementation process are examined within each type of reform program and are defined as the case studies outlined in detail by Jennifer A. Mueller and Katherine H. Hovde. Through thoughtful reflection Mueller and Hovde conclude (p. 43) that there is considerable variation within each of the schools and across each of the reform programs. The subsequent chapters in the text are dedicated to dissecting and explaining the variation observed within each of the case studies. The specific areas of variation investigated include adaptation in design, communication patterns, leadership roles, and external support.

In chapter three, Catherine Dunn Shiffman, Matthew Riggan, Diane Massell, Matthew Goldwasser, and Joy Anderson examine how program design influences adaptation. There were four specific factors they researched to explain the adaptation in the implementation process. The first factor dealt with how closely implementers follow the reform ideas and strategies embedded within the original design. The second area of focus was the complexity of the design itself. In other words, how challenging was it going to be for educators to implement the reform at their institution. The third factor was how engaging the reform was going to be for teachers and administrators. Lastly, the final area of focus was the degree of support provided to implement the reform program. In this chapter the authors paint a vivid picture of how each of these factors contributed to adaptation in each of the case studies. From their thorough investigation they conclude that the design of the program dramatically impacts the implementation process and then they offer further insight into how to anticipate the inevitable adaptation.

In chapter four, Elliot H. Weinbaum, Russell P. Cole, Michael J. Weiss, and Jonathan Supovitz examine how communication affects implementation of school reform. In this chapter the authors acknowledge that the stakeholders of the institution are vital to effectively implementing school reform. Their ability to communicate freely encourages the sharing of knowledge and expertise which is the (p. 68) “cornerstone of building a professional community”. This professional community acts as the support system for school reform.

The authors further investigate the importance of professional communities through a detailed research design used to identify the components of communication affecting implementation the most. The research design was based on specific questions that were thoroughly answered throughout the chapter. Even though their work was (p. 98) “not able to document a clear causal relationship” between communication and school reform, the researchers were able to identify communication factors that seemed to enhance or prohibit the implementation process.

In the subsequent chapter Matthew Riggan and Jonathan A. Supovitz expand on the work of their colleagues by explaining the role leadership plays in interpreting, supporting, and sometimes even resisting change. These authors identify three different types of school leadership found within the 15 high schools in the study (p. 103):

1. 1.

   traditional‐formal leaders – administrative leadership positions within and present in most schools;

2. 2.

   provider‐formal leaders – leadership positions created by the reform program; and

3. 3.

   informal leaders – individuals without a formal title but are identified as leaders by theirs colleagues and peers.

Riggan and Supovitz claim that leadership is “distributed” to the many stakeholders within the institution and (p. 104) “it is best understood as an organizational condition of schools rather than a process to be undertaken by school leaders”. Through comprehensive analysis the authors find that the current research on the role of leadership as well as distributed leadership support their findings that (p. 120) “different types of leaders serve different functions” in the implementation of school reform. Their findings are valuable to understanding implementation of school reforms in two ways. First, how they explain that their findings are consistent with current research and secondly, how they highlight concerns that must be examined further to fully understand how leadership impacts implementation.

In chapter six Elliot H. Weinbaum, Catherine Dunn Shiffman, and Margeret E. Goertz examine the role that central offices play in implementing school reforms. The role played by the central office in supporting reform movements and why there is variation in central office support were the focus points for Weinbaum and his associates (p. 126). In examining the 15 high school case studies the authors identified three characteristics that were necessary to assure adequate levels of central office support. These characteristics were (p. 148):

1. 1.

   the quality of the relationship between the central office and high schools;

2. 2.

   the actual “human and fiscal capacity of the central office”; and

3. 3.

   the “alignment” of the goals/expectations between the central offices and high schools.

The final chapter is a tribute to the quality of work the CPRE researchers performed. In this section Jonathan Supovitz summarizes the findings of his colleagues and juxtaposes their results with current research. In doing so, Supovitz concludes that many of their findings were consistent with the theory of mutual adaptation, but the overall complexity and variation of their results warranted a refined theory. Supovitz identified the refined theory as (p. 153) “iterative refraction”, “the interactive process through which reforms are adjusted repeatedly as they are introduced into and work their way through school environments”. After thoroughly explaining the theory Supovitz then outlines the implications for reform designers, district leaders, school leaders, and researchers alike.

In summary, The Implementation Gap: Understanding Reform in High Schools, edited by Jonathan A. Supovitz and Elliot Weinbaum, is a highly relevant research‐based text that makes sense of the variability that arises throughout the implementation process of school reforms. The clear outline of the case studies and thorough explanation of the findings make it easy to understand and easy to relate the reader's own situation at their local school sites. The implications described present realistic and straightforward ways for all stakeholders to prepare for, and be aware of, the complexities that will arise throughout the implementation process of school reform. Upon reading this text I have referred it to several of my colleagues including my school's Principal, Assistant Principal, Academic Counselors, and Founder because it addresses the specific challenges faced by our school. Further, it provides suggestions to enhance the implementation process of specific school reforms and speaks to the obstacles that inevitably may arise. In addition, this volume is recommended to anyone with a vested interest in the improvement of educational systems including but not limited to principals, district personnel, parents, and professors of education.