Dilemmas in district–university partnerships: examining network improvement communities as levers for systems change

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine dilemmas in a district–university partnership that used network improvement communities (NIC) as a levers for systems change after COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachWe draw on observations and in-depth, semi-structured interviews to understand the ben...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of educational administration 2024-11, Vol.62 (6), p.702-715
Main Authors: Neumerski, Christine M., Yurkofsky, Maxwell M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Collaboration
College Presidents
COVID-19
Educational Change
Educational Research
Elementary Secondary Education
Environment
Instructional Improvement
Instructional Leadership
Interviews
Leaders
Leadership
Learning
Mathematics Education
Pandemics
Partnerships in Education
Researchers
Roles
School districts
School systems
Social Emotional Learning
Students
Urban Schools
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Summary:PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine dilemmas in a district–university partnership that used network improvement communities (NIC) as a levers for systems change after COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachWe draw on observations and in-depth, semi-structured interviews to understand the benefits and limitations of using network improvement communities embedded within a longstanding district–university partnership to address problems of practice.FindingsFive dilemmas that emerged: (1) the need to continue the pilot roll-out of the NIC while still communicating a vision of the long-term, large-scale vision of NIC work, (2) center collaborative inquiry while still moving at a fast enough pace for participants to see progress, (3) include those most involved in the work while still having efficient decision making processes, (4) respect the knowledge and agency of participants while still supporting rigorous and impactful change and (5) honor the work the district is already engaged in while still extending beyond existing initiatives.Originality/valueWe conclude that the work of leading network improvement communities as part of a district–university partnership is complex. We add to the emerging research on NIC hub leadership by highlighting the dilemmas that must be managed in this work.
ISSN:0957-8234
1758-7395
DOI:10.1108/JEA-10-2023-0261