Leading schools with migrant children in Shanghai: Understanding policies and practices
International Journal of Educational Management
ISSN: 0951-354X
Article publication date: 12 June 2017
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is threefold: to sketch the current policy context that frames the education of migrant children in Shanghai; to explore the work lives of school leaders in the privately owned but government-supported schools; and to understand the socio-cultural and educational factors that shape the leadership practices in these schools.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper drew from publicly accessible policy papers and interview data with four principals leading migrant children’s schools in Shanghai.
Findings
Migrant children’s schools have received increasing policy recognition and attention. Principals of these schools have strived to adopt various leadership strategies to enhance the quality of education as received by migrant children. However, due to the institutional barriers such as hukou, multiple challenges continue to face migrant children and leaders leading migrant schools.
Originality/value
This is one of the first few papers that collected data from principals leading migrant children’s schools. The paper contributes to further understandings about leadership in high-needs school context and about education quality and equity in relation to programme for international student assessment success in Shanghai.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the support of the General Research Fund (GRF841512) of the Research Grant Council (RGC) of Hong Kong.
Citation
Qian, H. and David Walker, A. (2017), "Leading schools with migrant children in Shanghai: Understanding policies and practices", International Journal of Educational Management, Vol. 31 No. 5, pp. 564-579. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEM-08-2016-0178
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited