In an era of test-based accountability, school inspection may offer a nuanced understanding of school performance and actionable information for improvement. Yet, little empirical evidence exists on its effectiveness in advancing performance, particularly in the United States. This dissertation examines the potential of school inspection as an alternative accountability mechanism through a series of studies based in one of the only U.S. districts to experiment with inspection. Three papers evaluate: 1) How inspectors arrive at their decisions, 2) whether inspections promote principals' attitudes that are associated with lasting institutional change, and 3) effects of inspection on school planning directions. Each of these papers offers a significant contribution to the literature on school inspection and provides evidence regarding the inspection process and its potential to enable school improvement. The first paper inquires about how inspectors evaluate school and reach determinations. To shed light on inspectors' decision-making processes, the case of a U.S. district is contrasted with two long-established international systems. Results reveal that decisions are strongly influenced by local culture and professional traditions. Despite efforts to introduce alternative means for school assessment in the U.S., a test-based accountability mindset dominates and limits the potential of inspection.The second paper investigates whether principals' attitudes towards inspection are those associated with lasting institutional change. This study bridges insights from the organizational change literature in the education field. Semi-structured interviews with 20 principals in the selected U.S. district inquire about the perceived effectiveness of the diagnosis, appropriateness of inspection feedback, and readiness for implementing changes. Results show that strongly positive attitudes toward inspection associated with lasting change. A majority of principals view inspection favorably since its breadth and depth contributes to a more accurate diagnosis of key challenges. Holistic evaluation and actionable findings are not feasible through test-based accountability alone. Principals also express a strong commitment to implementing changes based on inspection feedback. These results provide the first empirical evidence of the influence of school inspection on sustained institutional change. The third essay examines the effect of inspection on school planning. Prior to implementation of reforms, priorities are set through the school planning process. Despite the wide use of inspection globally, no previous study has tested whether a causal relationship exists between inspection and school planning. This study uses mixed methods to examine whether inspection shifts the areas of focus in school planning documents. The study sample comprises 160 public schools in the selected U.S. district. In-depth interviews with school principals reveal that inspections are perceived as useful and led to planned reforms focused in two areas: instructional practices and school climate. Results from a difference-in-differences analysis suggest that inspection shifted the focus of planning documents towards these two areas. Inspection led to nearly a doubling of keywords in improvement plans related to these two focus areas. This study provides empirical evidence regarding the potential of inspection to inform school planning.Overall, this dissertation advances understanding of the potential of school inspection to offer insights for improved school reforms, in a high-stakes, test-based accountability system. Findings demonstrate how local and professional culture influence and condition inspection practices. In addition, I show that principals demonstrate strong positive attitudes towards inspection, which are favorable to sustainable change. Finally, I provide causal evidence that inspection shapes the focus of school improvement plans. These results have implications for U.S. accountability policies and the potential for a more comprehensive approach, beyond test-based accountability.
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