Implementation of Communities of Learning: What have we learnt and what has changed?

Abstract

Many schools in Aotearoa New Zealand have joined Communities of Learning (Kahui Ako), to access funding for professional development and student support. A business model for management of these Communities of Learning has been transcribed over what were already very functional clusters of collaborative schools. This article questions the allocation of roles, the criteria for selection of experts in these roles, and whether the implementation of the CoLs has led to groupthink, and therefore an unintentional retention of the status quo.