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

Abstract

PurposeThis paper explores a district government's role in using school networks to transform turnaround schools in rural Shanghai, China.Design/methodology/approachQualitative case studies were conducted.FindingsFindings 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/valueThis article presents an “external-internal context” framework for understanding local government's role in school networks and turnaround school transformation in China.