From Design to Delivery: A Case Study of Educator Agency, Experience, and Structural Tensions in a Framework-Driven Credit Recovery Program Redesign

Abstract

This case study examines a credit recovery redesign initiative within an urban school district, exploring how a layered framework, integrating the community of inquiry (CoI) and culturally responsive and sustaining pedagogy (CRSP), impacts the teaching and learning environment for racially marginalized students. The study addresses the critical need for a more equitable approach to online credit recovery, which has historically been a racialized space lacking in digital and curricular equity. Through participant observation and interviews with course designers and instructors, the research investigates educators’ perceptions and evolving self-efficacy as they implement this new approach. The findings reveal a significant misalignment between the initiative's goals and its implementation, primarily due to systemic barriers such as unclear communication, a lack of resources, and insufficient professional development. These challenges led to a reversion to traditional, compliance-based teaching models and a decline in teacher self-efficacy, despite the educators' dedication to equity. The findings underscore the urgent need for stronger institutional support and high-quality, sustained professional development. Ultimately, the study concludes that even the most well-intentioned, equity-focused frameworks risk becoming superficial interventions without foundational elements that support and empower educators to effectively implement them.