Save a sinking ship: district-led school network governance to transform turnaround schools in Shanghai, China

Abstract

Purpose

This paper explores a district government's role in using school networks to transform turnaround schools in rural Shanghai, China.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative case studies were conducted.

Findings

Findings showed that the C District government varied its power in initiating school networks; collaborative networks were developed but addressed local problems in a limited manner and collaborative networks had difficulties innovating to solve novel problems.

Originality/value

This article presents an “external-internal context” framework for understanding local government's role in school networks and turnaround school transformation in China.

Citation

Ye, W. (2024), "Save a sinking ship: district-led school network governance to transform turnaround schools in Shanghai, China", Journal of Professional Capital and Community, Vol. 9 No. 1, pp. 37-50. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPCC-06-2023-0042