Promises and Pitfalls of Crafting Coherence Around a District-Wide Vision for Equity-Centered Instruction

Abstract

Although ample scholarship has examined the coherence of district-level instructional systems, the literature pays limited attention to crafting coherence around district visions for equitable instruction. In this multiple case study, we use interviews, documents, and observations to examine four districts’ efforts to craft coherence around a shared vision for equitable mathematics. We found that in only one district did district and school leaders describe a shared equity-focused vision, bolstered by consistent messaging. Across all districts, the critical elements of equitable mathematics (e.g., identity and power) received substantially less attention in instructional visions and supports than dominant elements (e.g., access to ambitious mathematics and achievement). We document the promises and pitfalls of crafting coherence around a shared vision for equitable instruction.