Chapter 7: School Leader Production in Sweden and California: A Critical Analysis

Over the past few decades significant changes have occurred in schooling in many if not most nations, changes that include, but are not limited to, the focus of the schooling processes. Many of these changes can be attributed to well-known demographic shifts in the nation’s and, subsequently, their schools’ populations. However, many are also based on political ideologies regarding the purposes of schooling and meaning of a quality education (Fullan, 2014; Glaze, 2018; Hargreaves & Shirley, 2012; Ärlestig, Day, & Johansson, 2017). Examples of changes in both California and Sweden are the influx of immigrants as well as increased use of standardized tests and inspections. Throughout this turmoil is an undercurrent for the need for school improvement, commonly measured by standardized test scores (Tienken & Orlich, 2013).