School Turnaround Lessons for Policy and Practice: A Systematic Review of Research and Evaluation

Abstract

While there currently exists a vast body of research around school turnaround policies, few studies speak to why they have or have not worked. This paper undertakes a systematic review of research literature on school turnaround policies to explore why this lack of understanding prevails in the field. We find key disconnects between “policy” and “practice” research on the topic of school turnaround. We contend that this divide negates the potential to learn from school leadership policy and practice in turnaround settings. We offer implications of these findings within turnaround research and policy while pointing out that this apparent divide seems to extend beyond the example of turnaround.