Professional learning communities under test-based accountability: evidence from an Israeli intervention programme

ABSTRACT

Test-based accountability (TBA) draws on a managerialist ideology that emphasises standards, constant measurement, and external motivation for improvement. It stands in sharp contrast to the idea of professional learning communities (PLCs) that aim to mobilise teachers’ internal motivation and willingness to cooperate with peers to facilitate a joint, self-reflective inquiry process of pedagogical improvement. The Israeli education system has adopted TBA policies. To determine how this affects a professional learning programme focused on reflective inquiry, we analysed staff discussions recorded in 180 PLC meetings in 17 schools. The study suggests that TBA not only narrows the curriculum and the repertoire of pedagogical practices used by teachers but also constrains the ability of teacher professional learning to counterbalance these negative consequences.

KEYWORDS:

• TBA
• Israel
• standardised tests
• professional learning communities
• teacher professional development

Acknowledgments

Authors are listed in alphabetical order to denote equal contribution. We thank the anonymous referees for their helpful comments and suggestions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Yariv Feniger

Yariv Feniger is an associate professor in the School of Education at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. His areas of research include education policy, comparative education, and educational inequality.

Jenna Goldshtein

Jenna Goldshtein completed her master’s degree in the School of Education at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. Her areas of research include test-based accountability, immigration, and educational inequality.

Dana Vedder-Weiss

Dana Vedder-Weiss is a senior lecturer in the School of Education at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel. Her areas of research include teacher and student learning processes, teacher leadership and professional discourse, and collaborative professional learning.