Action research investigation into the process of teaming in one school district

Working as an insider in collaboration with other insiders, this participatory action research study, through two action research cycles of diagnosing, planning, taking action, and evaluating, explored the implementation of preK-12 vertical teaming in a school district with a traditional culture. This study was guided by two research questions: (a) To what extent, if at all, have the preK-12 vertical teams understood the principles and characteristics of teaming?; and (b) What is the experience of the vertical teams in the organization learning to function from a radical transition during a top-down leadership to teaming?;Cycle One was the implementation of district teaming focusing on district teaming structures and administrator professional development. Cycle Two was the implementation of preK-12 vertical teams led by teacher leaders and a new district evaluative team comprised of teacher leaders over the preK-12 vertical teams with a focus on teacher leader and team professional development.;Through a series of three or four three-hour meetings with four vertical teams, two three-hour meetings with the Data Analysis and Assessment Team, two interviews with teacher leaders, personal journaling, and analysis of team artifacts such as team meeting notes and professional development, this study documented the experience of teaming and the application of team processes in the preK-12 vertical teams and Data Analysis and Assessment Team.;Data were analyzed through the context of sustained school district reform, culture, distributed leadership and teaming. Through embedded professional development and team experiences, participants valued teaming but had difficulty applying team processes without support due to extreme discomfort and distrust. Implications for this research documented the difficulty of implementing teaming in traditional school district culture.