https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4094-966X
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ABSTRACT
This study examined the performance of superintendents and leaders of the Arab education system in Israel in reducing achievement gaps and promoting curricula that empower and advance students. In-depth interviews were conducted with school governance officials in an attempt to address these key issues: (1) The steps administrators in the Arab education system take to reduce underachievement and empower change agents during crises; (2) Arab school superintendents’ and local government education officers’ assessment of government policies as empowering or disempowering; (3) The extent to which superintendents believe that cultural change is required within existing administrative structures before they can empower school communities to become societal innovators for equity, peace, and renewal. The findings were analyzed according to themes and categories, and examined through the lens of the Turbulence Theory. Results revealed that Arab educational leaders strive to reduce achievement gaps by increasing the curriculum’s relevance to the school community, and balancing the community’s demands for quality education with technocratic policy demands by the Ministry of Education. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Khalid Arar
Khalid Arar, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy at the School Improvement Doctoral Program, College of Education, Texas State University and an Associate Editor of the International Journal of Leadership in Education. For the past two decades, his research has focused on both K12 and higher education policies through the lens of equity and diversity. His commitment to challenging injustices globally and studying the plight of refugees in diverse settings has led him to the topic of this book and other publications.