Organisatoriskt lärande på kommunnivå om undervisning av nyanlända elever: en väg mot ökad likvärdighet

Sammanfattning: All students in Swedish schools are entitled by law to education of high and equal quality. This includes newly arrived (immigrant) students. However, earlier research and reports indicate large variations between schools in education quality for newly arrived students, and thus a lack of equity (Bunar, 2010; Skolinspektionen, 2014). Authority over Swedish schools lies at the municipal level, including the responsibility for equity. Despite this, little or no research has been done on whether, or how, municipalities manage to produce equal quality education for newly arrived students, and what conditions and hindrance local decision makers face in doing so. In this study, the focus is on decision makers at the municipal level, and how they describe their work, their influence, and their perceived obstacles to guaranteeing equity in the education of newly arrived students. The study was designed as a single case study, with interview and questionnaire methods, within an interpretivist paradigm. The empirical material was analyzed in the light of the 4I-framework for organizational learning (Crossan, Lane & White, 1999), and later additions to the framework focusing on leadership, power, and obstacles for learning. Results included the need of more time and space for learning at the group level, specifically discussions and sharing of knowledge and experience between professionals at different schools, and levels, within the municipality. Also, the importance of leadership and a culture that supports learning became clear. A main identified challenge was the concept of equity (‘likvärdighet’), as it is vague and difficult to measure. The authors argue that further research is needed on the role of municipality level management and leadership in school development for equity.