Inside school turnaround: What drives success?

Abstract This study proposes an empirically grounded theory of how school reform implementation relates to effectiveness, useful for developing and studying many approaches both in the U.S. abroad, also assessing policymakers implementers might leverage various aspects create effective improvement models at scale. Guided by a new framework that links Bryk colleagues’ (2010) five essential supports as reported Desimone’s (2002) adaptation Porter (1986) policy attributes theory, we use mixed-methods approach effectiveness turnaround efforts School District Philadelphia. We explore relationships among key model components, implementation, academic achievement using matched comparison design estimating series regressions. Qualitative methods are used contextualize findings offer explanatory hypotheses.