Pilot school leaders' experiences in innovation

The proliferation of charter schools since their inception in 1991 attests to the widespread belief that deregulation ought to spur innovations in teaching and learning that will improve student achievement. However, charter schools' gains in student achievement have been meager and they have generally been inconsistent use of their autonomies. Pilot schools began in Boston in 1994 under the same deregulation theory, yet with one critical difference: Pilot schools are district schools and teachers remain unionized and work under a modified contract. This study examines the experiences of pilot school leaders as they attempt to use their autonomies to improve conditions for teaching and learning in their schools. Through semi-structured interviews with pilot school leaders in Los Angeles, CA, this institutional ethnography captures these leaders' experiences working with the district, union, and third-party non-profits to make use of their autonomy. Findings include teachers' uses of their autonomies; the challenges and supports these leaders have faced; and the overall impact of these autonomies, which included creating a mission-driven culture and distributing leadership throughout the schools.