ABSTRACT

The public education system in Chile was reformed in 2017, introducing networking as a principle for governing and improving schools. Between 2018 and 2025, 70 Local Public Education Services (SLE) will replace 345 municipalities as the intermediate level of the new system. SLEs are mandated to lead the formation of networks to support the improvement of schools. This paper presents a qualitative case study exploring how professionals from one SLE in lead the formation of mandated networks. Findings from 20 in-depth interviews were analysed using the network formation model proposed by Segato and Raab ([2019]. “Mandated Network Formation.” International Journal of Public Sector Management 32 (2): 191–206.). School networks were configured by SLE professionals, introducing hierarchical elements into their coordination. SLE professionals acknowledged a tension between guiding networks to produce horizontal and collaborative relationships and coordinating school networks vertically as functional units to support and supervise schools. In the discussion we argue that this tension emerged from SLE professionals’ mindset where prior experiences with vertical and centralised coordination, associated with hierarchical governance, predominated over new forms of horizontal and distributed leadership, associated with network governance.

摘要

智利的公共教育体系于2017年进行了改革，将网络作为治理和改善学校的一项原则。在2018年至2025年之间，将有70个地方公共教育服务（SLE）取代345个城市，成为新系统的中级水平。SLE的任务是领导网络的形成，以支持学校的改善。本文提供了一个定性案例研究，探索一个SLE的专业人员如何领导授权网络的形成。使用Segato和Raab提出的网络形成模型分析了20次深度访谈的发现（[2019]。“强制性网络形成”。国际公共部门管理杂志32（2）：191–206。）。学校网络由SLE专业人员配置，将层次结构元素引入他们的协调中。SLE专业人士承认，指导性网络之间的张力会产生横向和协作关系，而纵向协调学校网络则是支持和监督学校的职能部门。在讨论中，我们认为这种张力来自SLE专业人士的思维方式，即先前与纵向和集中式协调相关的经验（与层次化治理相关）主导于与网络治理相关的新形式的横向和分布式领导方式。