Learning Partnerships in a Sustained Turnaround School: A Social Network Approach

Abstract

Turnaround schools had gained attention since the Bush Administration and No Child Left Behind. Studies were published frequently on the blueprints of turnaround and sustainability in which leadership was a focal point. However, embedded in the research of turnaround schools was the emphasis on interpersonal relationships that evolved into being known as internal learning partnerships. Internal learning partnerships contribute to a turnaround school’s success and sustainability; therefore, researchers look through the lens of the social sciences to study the connections in an organization using social network analysis and theory. The present study is a case study analysis of one elementary school that was once the lowest performing school in the state. Through the efforts of the district and state, the school was turned around into one of the highest performing schools in the state and maintained its status for over ten years. Through social network analysis, the researcher examined the interpersonal relationships of this high-performing elementary school to determine the strength of its internal partnerships.