Districtwide Instructional Reform: Using Sociocultural Theory to Link Professional Learning to Organizational Support

Abstract

No Child Left Behind Act accountability pressures and calls to close achievement gaps between groups of students have challenged school districts to achieve systemwide instructional improvement. These policies create learning challenges for classroom teachers and for school and district leaders. This article engages questions about organizational support for professional learning in the context of reform initiatives. A theoretical lens—called the Vygotsky Space—is used to analyze case study data from a reforming urban school district located in the Pacific Northwest. A job‐embedded professional development structure called the Elementary Studio/Residency Model is explored in depth as are the learning processes of one participating teacher. The teacher’s professional learning experiences are then connected with leadership actions and institutional supports for learning. The relationship between organizational change and district leaders’ attention to practitioner learning and innovation is discussed.