Contest for Jurisdiction: An Occupational Analysis of Principals' Responses to Test-Based Accountability

Abstract

This case study uses a theory of occupational ecology to understand why test-based accountability has been successful at redirecting principals' work toward high-stakes standards and assessments. The principals and English teachers at two Chicago high schools were interviewed annually over a four-year period. The study finds that test-based accountability capitalizes on unclear jurisdictional boundaries between district administrators, principals, and teachers over curriculum and instruction. The study highlights the negotiated nature of control over instructional activities in schools, revealing central areas of vulnerability, contestation, and negotiation for principals.

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