Business Not as Usual: Understanding Factors for Organizational Change after a Crisis

Drawing on the Crisis Management Cycle (CMC) framework, this study examines school systems' organizational adjustments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the implementation of High Impact Tutoring (HIT) to address the pandemic’s academic impacts. Analyzing 112 interviews across ten local education agencies, we identify three post-crisis organizational change pathways: stagnation without learning, change through learning, and stagnation after initial learning. Critical to navigating these pathways are stakeholder alignment, external partnerships, access to expertise, effective resource allocation, and organizational readiness for adaptation. Our research highlights how these factors collectively determine an educational institution's resilience and capacity for long-term structural adjustment post-crisis. By elucidating the mechanisms that enable or impede organizational learning and change, this paper contributes insights into overcoming entrenched practices, thereby enhancing schools' preparedness and response capabilities for future crises.