| This research called into question the predominant principal-agent paradigm used to explain relationships of nonprofit organizations engaged with public-school districts in design and execution of education reforms. Literature largely identified these organizations narrowly as contractors (agents) employed by school districts (principals) for performance of services. This examination of practices supported a much broader framework of interactions that facilitated substantive and procedural changes in education, including merging of widely accepted distinctions between service provision and performance.;Three California school districts were the research sites: two sub-districts of the Los Angeles Unified School District and the nearby Pasadena Unified School District. The research was disciplined by a qualitative multiple-case study methodology, including interviews with administrators and teachers; observations of classroom activities, meetings and training sessions; and analysis of school and student performance data.;This research disclosed an expanded framework to explain complex relationships among organizations engaged in reforms of educational policies and implementation. The nonprofit organizations performed design and execution roles as advocates, value guardians, and community builders. Narrow principal-agent relationships of district and contractor roles were presented in some situations. However, nonprofits also filled broader roles as both service providers (funding some reforms) and performers (carrying out functions).;Consistent with the conventional paradigm, useful functions performed by the nonprofit organizations in this study included participation in development of specific strategies, facilitation of informed use of data, development of and adherence to schedules, and documentation of resources and results (outputs and outcomes). More broadly, however, findings showed that the more involved the nonprofit was in advocacy and value guardianship in design and execution stages, the more effective that organization and the district were in reform processes and accomplishments. In these cases, increased involvement produced environments that allowed the nonprofit organizations to support system-wide cultural changes that lowered resistance to new strategies, built trust, and improved communications. These findings suggested that additional research employing the framework disclosed by this study would improve understanding of how to maximize the effectiveness of partnerships between governmental and nonprofit organizations. |
