Compliance, Chaos, or Coherence? How Superintendents, Districts, and Schools Craft Coherence From School Turnaround Policy.

This study examines Michigan’s Partnership Model, a school turnaround policy that positions districts and superintendents as central actors responsible for developing and implementing three-year strategic plans to improve low-performing schools. Using interviews with 21 Partnership leaders, surveys of over 1,100 teachers, and embedded case studies of three diverse districts, the research explores how districts craft coherence by bridging (engaging new partners and initiatives) and buffering (limiting engagement or symbolically adopting policy demands) in response to the reform. Findings reveal that many districts symbolically adopted the policy by aligning new plans with existing efforts, while some used the reform to initiate substantive changes; however, chronic teacher turnover and limited capacity often constrained effective implementation. The study highlights the importance of district capacity, trust among stakeholders, and strategic balancing of bridging and buffering to support coherent turnaround efforts, suggesting that flexible policies like Michigan’s Partnership Model can offer both opportunities and challenges depending on local contexts.