Chapter 17: Charter Schools and Crisis Leadership During Covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted society in March 2020, including the operation of schools. When schools closed for in-person instruction, school leaders had a range of decisions to make as part of an effort to maintain the educational mission of their institutions. This chapter focuses on qualitative research that was conducted with charter school leaders during this pivotal time. We interviewed 33 charter school leaders in the summer and early fall of 2020 to understand the extent to which they effectively engaged in crisis leadership during the pandemic. Findings focus on initial responses to the pandemic, including assessing student needs, making decisions about remote instruction, and finding a balance between rigor and the humanity of the moment. Four overarching themes emerged in terms of how our participants engaged in crisis leadership and include: (a) the extent to which charter school leaders anticipated the crisis, (b) how well charter school leaders delegated tasks, (c) what charter school leaders communicated with stakeholders, and (d) what charter school leaders learned from mistakes during the crisis. We conclude by locating our findings within the broader context of interdisciplinary crisis leadership.