Case Studies of Urban Schools: Portrayals of Schools in Change
This document describes the findings of a research project
entitled “Case Studies of Urban Schools,” a National Center for
Research in Vocational Education study. The project was designed
to describe how a small group of comprehensive high schools in
urban areas are developing, implementing, and evaluating
educational restructuring initiatives that include vocational
education as a key component of those efforts.
Qualitative research methodologies were employed to describe the
contextual factors that both facilitate and impede the
restructuring-related actions taking place in each of these
schools. The two primary research questions addressed in this
document are (1) How has each site implemented educational
restructuring initiatives? and (2) How does vocational education
fit into those restructuring efforts? The case studies serve to
explain the socio-environmental context, relationships, and
processes that existed in each of the four sites that enabled the
schools to change their form and function in an attempt to
enhance the school and post-school outcomes of all students.
This monograph gives the reader an overview of the project and provides a literature review discussing previous educational restructuring theories and initiatives. This literature review describes previous educational restructuring research initiatives, educational restructuring efforts specific to urban areas, and educational restructuring related to vocational education. Based on information gleaned from the literature reviewed, the refinement of an analytical framework designed to assist with data analysis and interpretation is posited. There is also a description of the processes and procedures each of the partner-sites utilized to develop, implement, and evaluate restructuring initiatives.
Finally, a cross-site analysis is presented of the themes that emerged during data analysis that were consistently identified, either implicitly or explicitly, by the four partner-sites as key elements associated with educational restructuring actions. This document will extend the individual case study findings and will assist the investigators in inducing a practically derived theory and description of existing educational restructuring initiatives.
Wermuth, T. R., Maddy-Bernstein, C., & Grayson, T. E. (1997, December). Case studies of urban schools: Portrayals of schools in change. Berkeley, CA: National Center for Research in Vocational Education.