ABSTRACT
This case study takes place in a historically White, suburban school district in the southeastern United States undergoing rapid demographic change, as recently arrived immigrants are increasingly drawn to the community’s affordable housing, growing economy, and well-regarded schools. The school district has just hired a new superintendent, who learned in her initial meetings with school board members and administrators that few supports are in place for the new immigrant population, and that many blame the newcomers for recent increases in disciplinary actions, school overcrowding, and low performance on state achievement tests. The new superintendent knows the situation calls for system-wide organizational change, which means she must first understand the district’s capacity for change by assessing the current infrastructure, organizational culture, and instructional capability.
