Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2025
Abstract
Studies of networks for educational change often focus on webs of teachers, school leaders, policymakers, and philanthropists, with little attention to staff at the middle level, who arguably have immense potential to effect change. This article explores an initiative for educational change through mid-level staff using the case of a nonprofit that places its members in large, public education bureaucracies in a developing country. I explore a mechanism for how the strategic patchwork of staff can support change through improved bureaucracy. First, staff are intentionally placed, reputationally distinct, and purposely connected. Second, these individuals influence bureaucratic effectiveness through coordinated policies, reduced organizational friction, and informal information sharing. Third, the improved coordination supports policy creation, program implementation, and candid evaluation of processes on the ground. Integrating studies of education, state bureaucracy, and civil society, I show the utility in investigating novel forms of educational change that engage rather than circumvent traditional education bureaucracies
Recommended Citation
Trinidad, J. E. R. (2025). Educational change through bureaucratic effectiveness: The role of mid-level networks. Sociology of Education, Article 00380407251340944. https://archium.ateneo.edu/
