Between System and Reality – Adaptive Capacity for an Equitable School

"Between System and Reality – Adaptive Reality for an Equitable School" is a preparatory project carried out by Skellefteå Municipality, Region Västerbotten (through Region 10), and RISE. The starting point is the conditions facing schools in sparsely populated areas, where small student populations, long distances, and difficulties in recruiting qualified staff affect the ability to offer an equitable education. At the same time, these operations must manage demographic shifts and adapt to changing circumstances—sometimes rapidly and unexpectedly. Much of this lies beyond the school's direct control yet has significant consequences for its mission.

The project addresses the gap between national governance and local reality. It highlights the fact that a single organizational model for schools does not work equally well everywhere. The focus is on how the system surrounding the school can help compensate for disparities in conditions and provide better support to the operations. The project employs the concept of "adaptive capacity" to describe the ability that needs to be developed: the capacity to adjust organization, working methods, and collaborative efforts as conditions change, while maintaining quality and equity.

Through this project, we are building a shared understanding of the conditions that shape the scope for action available to schools. We examine where obstacles arise, which organizational capabilities need strengthening, and what different stakeholders need to do together. Insights from educational practice are crucial for understanding how decisions and structures at various levels impact the daily life of schools. Children and young people in sparsely populated areas are the project's ultimate target group; the work aims, above all, to ensure their access to continuity, support, and high-quality education. The preparatory project aims to produce a shared understanding of the challenges, a prioritized agenda for change, and a proposal for a larger-scale implementation project. The long-term goal is to build a national alliance for change in which municipalities, public agencies, the research community, and other societal actors develop and disseminate effective models for ensuring equitable schooling.

The project is funded through SustainGov—part of the Impact Innovation initiative, which is financed by the Swedish Energy Agency, Vinnova, and Formas.