Abstract
This paper compares the evolution of two initiatives—one in Singapore and one in New York City—designed expressly to support the development and spread of new and innovative school models. These two initiatives—Future Schools in Singapore and the iZone in New York City—reflected the hope that new school models and associated innovations could be incubated and then replicated to help create system-wide conditions that would allow new approaches to schooling to emerge. Despite dramatically different system contexts—in terms of governance, politics and professional capacity—we show how both initiatives have to deal with basic institutional, political and societal conditions that sustain conventional educational practice. We focus particularly on how common factors like capacity demands, frequent changes in policies and emerging technologies create opportunities for the development of some new resources and practices even as they reinforce many aspects of the conventional "grammar of schooling." Although this analysis emphasizes common challenges for developing more "innovative" approaches to schooling, we highlight as well the often-unanticipated developments that contribute to smaller scale innovations and incremental change.
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Notes
Bloomberg also sought to encourage the development of charter schools by inviting operators of successful charter networks to launch schools in New York City. We have examined the development of the charter sector in New York City elsewhere (Hatch et. al. 2017). Given space limitations we do not discuss charter school development here.
Far from unique to the iZone, however, the capacity challenges were also evident in many aspects of Bloomberg and Klein’s education initiatives. In fact, even major corporations like IBM found themselves unable to meet deadlines and fulfill agreements, undermining the development of a data-system (ARIS) envisioned as a critical ingredient in the DOE’s strategy of granting schools autonomy in return for accountability.
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Hatch, T., Corson, J. & den Berg, S.G.v. New schools in New York City and Singapore. J Educ Change 23, 199–220 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-021-09419-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10833-021-09419-1