Tinkering toward Utopia or Stuck in a Rut? School Reform Implementation at Wintervalley High

Abstract

This article 1 presents findings from a 2-year qualitative study that examined teacher and administrator involvement with implementation of school reform initiatives in a public secondary school. Findings suggest that implementation had both positive and negative consequences. Although reforms advanced the school's ongoing discussion about continuous improvement and promoted some useful procedural change, the reform negatively changed some work conditions for teachers. This study prompts educators to consider the importance of context and perspective, both historically and in situ, during educational reform implementation.