GSE Colloquium Series in Politics, Governance, and Political Economy of Education - Beth Schueler

Evaluating education governance: Does state takeover of school districts affect system performance?

Governance over education is unique relative to other policy domains in the U.S. Significant decision-making is delegated to local school boards that make up a system of single-purpose institutions, typically selected in non-partisan, low-turnout elections. Are school boards a beacon of democracy or inherently dysfunctional? Unfortunately, little empirical evidence speaks to the effects of this governance arrangement for educational outcomes and equity. State takeovers of school districts—usually undertaken in cases of perceived academic or financial struggles—represent an alternative to the typical education governance system by shifting decision-making power from the local to the state level. This talk will describe the first comprehensive national evidence on this question, tracking all takeovers over three decades since the first was undertaken in the late 1980s, documenting an increase in takeovers over time, and examining the impact of takeover on student outcomes. Results have significant equity implications given we find targeted districts served disproportionate shares of low-income learners and students of color. Using up-to-date difference-in-differences methods, we find no evidence that takeovers improve student achievement, on average. However, there is substantial variation in the effects from district to district. Complementary cross-case studies begin to reveal why some takeovers have been more effective than others, and how some leaders have successfully built coalitions of supporters for their districtwide improvement efforts while others have generated significant political resistance. The findings have implications for policymakers seeking politically viable approaches to improving school system performance and for the field’s understanding of the pros and cons of centralized versus decentralized educational decision-making. The talk will situate the work on takeovers in a broader ongoing research agenda around the political dynamics of education policymaking.

Beth Schueler is an Associate Professor of Education and Public Policy at the University of Virginia. She studies education policy, politics and governance with the goal of understanding how to increase educational equity. Much of her research has focused on the policy effects and political dynamics of efforts to improve K-12 schools and districts in the U.S.