School Autonomy Research Articles

The relationship between school autonomy and principals' organizational commitment: A multimediation model

The relationship between school autonomy and principals' organizational commitment: A multimediation model

Educational management and schooling in crisis contexts and regulation

The text highlights the complexity of power relations in educational management and schooling, emphasizing the importance of resisting authoritarian forms of regulation with innovative practices that promote freedom and autonomy in management and schools. Currently, the field of education is under pressure from global political and economic movements that seek to impose a centralized management logic based on objective results, thus affecting the autonomy and creativity of schools. Although schools constitute spaces of freedom and autonomy, they face institutional contradictions and significant challenges in management. Despite these challenges, it is understood that there are still spaces for innovation.

초등학교 교사의 예산 운용 경험에 관한 질적 연구

The purpose of this study is to analyze the motivation of elementary school teachers who participated in the Ggum-sil project and examine their experiences in budget management. The objective is to identify distinction from the existing school budget management and to provide implications for enhancing the financial autonomy of schools in practice. To achieve this goal, in-depth interviews were conducted with seven elementary school teachers who participated in the Ggum-sil project. According to the analysis, the teachers perceived the majority of the budget as belonging to the school, while the budget from the Ggum-sil project is regarded as the “teachers' own budget” or the “budget for their individual classes or grades”. In addition, only a minimal portion of the budget allocated to curriculum operation and classroom management is directly used for educational activities, and the absolute deficit is replenished through the implementation of the Gum-sil project. In contrast to the school budget, which is operated by departments, the budget of the Gum-sil project is managed on grade level basis. This approach reflects the unique cooperative and communicative structure of elementary schools at the grade level. In the process of budgeting and planning, primary school teachers formulated a broad budgetary plan by considering the variability of educational activities. Restrictive regulations played a significant role in both budgeting and execution processes. There was also self-censorship focused on students in budget management. Teachers appraised their expertise in deciding optimal budget allocation favorably. However, they encountered difficulties in navigating the associated processes and methodologies. Based on the results of the discussion, it is recommended that policy changes are needed for autonomous and effective financial management of unit schools. This entails formulating a strategy to curtail the expenses of targeted projects, considering the actual budget management process in unit schools and the needs of members. In addition, the reconstruction of the budget management framework should be pursued, incorporating and understanding of the unique characteristics of elementary school organizations and prevailing teaching culture.

Social Partnerships in Modern Russian Schools as a Tools for Creating a Rich Educational Environment and Overcoming Inequality

The aim of this article is to analyze the potential of social partnerships at schools when it comes to solving such problems as saturation of the educational environment and overcoming educational inequality. Schools are considered as a special environment that accumulates financial, cultural, and social resources. Post-Soviet schools adopting a course towards neo-managerialism would involve relative autonomy of schools and the stimulation of competition between them. As a result, the functions and forms of social partnerships at schools are undergoing transformation in comparison with the Soviet period. It is in the logic of neo-managerialism that social partnerships are presented as the primary means of overcoming educational inequality. The empirical foundation consisted of 88 interviews with employees of secondary educational institutions of the Perm Region. Analyzing the interviews allowed for explicating interpretations of the meanings and the evaluation of the effects of social partnerships at schools by the participants of the educational process. On this basis the possible risks of social partnerships are highlighted, such as: the risk of escalating educational inequality between schools and the intrusion of schools through partnerships into the sphere of state-unregulated experimentation. The disproportion is revealed in the breadth, diversity and sustainability of partnerships between “prestigious” schools and schools that do not rank particularly high. This is consistent with the general post-Soviet trend of differentiation of schools and, accordingly, varying degrees of success in developing a diverse educational environment, which leads to the risk of increasing educational inequality. The specific features of local, organizational and structural barriers that prevent schools from establishing social partnerships are analyzed.

School Leaders’ Autonomy in Public and Private School Contexts: Blurring Policy Requirements

This study responds to calls for more nuanced research on school actors’ autonomy in contexts characterized by multiple governance configurations. It investigates school leaders’ autonomy when enacting policy requirements in public and private school contexts, with Norway as an example. The study draws on qualitative data from eight leaders in diverse school contexts, revealing how the increased standardization of competence and assessment requirements challenges school leaders’ autonomy in private and public schools. Using the idea of gap management (Knapp & Hopmann, 2017), we find that there is little overall difference between state-funded private schools and traditional public schools. However, we did find variation in how standardization challenges school leaders’ autonomy. The variation in school leaders’ autonomy seems to lie within the visions of the schools and school leaders.

Enhancing teachers' commitment: Autonomy and learning in Ghana's basic schools

This study examines how teachers' autonomy and learning affect their commitment, considering the moderating role of work environment. Questionnaires were administered to full-time teachers in basic schools within Ghana's Ashanti Region, which yielded 1163 accurate responses. The study employs the structural equation modeling technique to generate accurate and reliable findings. The findings reveal that teachers' autonomy and learning positively and significantly contribute to their commitment. Also, work environment positively and substantially moderates the relationship between teachers' autonomy and commitment and between teachers' learning and commitment. Finally, theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

In-School Suspension Through the Lens of Whiteness as Property: Exploring a School District’s Role in Maintaining Educational Inequality

Despite impacting almost three million students annually, and disproportionately impacting Black students, little is known about district policy and central office staff in the use of in-school suspension. The purpose of this study was to understand how districts use in-school suspension over time, with attention to racial disparities, programmatic changes, and central office perspectives. Case study methods were used to examine in-school suspension in one large school district in the Western United States. Data included two district board school discipline policies, quantitative in-school suspension data, and interviews with central office staff. We found a history of on-going racial disparities for Black and Latinx students and that decisions made by central office about in-school suspension had likely sustained these disparities over time. District policy goals of reducing racial disparities were found to be largely rhetorical in the face of an ethos of non-enforcement. Central office administrators believed they lacked the power to hold school principals accountable for implementing school discipline policy with fidelity to redressing racial disparities. Through the concept of Whiteness as Property, we argue these patterns demonstrated central office administrators’ protection of White educational and political propertied interests above those of educational opportunities for Black and Latinx students. This study contributes to the literature on in-school suspension by finding discrepancies between policy and practice and contributes to the field’s understanding of how school autonomy can undermine equity-oriented school discipline policies through racial negligence.

Promoting 21st century pedagogy: can school autonomy and school-based professional development processes make a difference?

ABSTRACT Public schools are expected to ensure that students who graduate the kindergarten (for 5–6 year olds) through twelfth grade (for 17–18 year olds) system are adept in 21st century skills to be successful in the new workforce landscape. Hence, schools need to establish progressive teaching and learning processes that significantly differ from the traditional ones. Since learning environments designed for knowledge construction promote self-regulated and self-directed learners, the current study attempts to assess to what extent do teachers’ perceptions of their school’s autonomy and satisfaction with school-based professional development (PD) processes foster 21st century oriented pedagogy. Data were collected from 645 teachers in 64 Israeli public junior high schools through questionnaires. A positive association was found between teachers’ perceived school autonomy and their satisfaction with school-based PD processes. High teacher satisfaction with PD was positively associated with progressive pedagogy. Teachers’ satisfaction with PD mediated the effect of school autonomy on using technology in teaching, on 21st century pedagogical knowledge, and on teachers’ professional competence. School autonomy with the mediation of teachers’ satisfaction with PD processes makes a positive contribution to teachers’ professional competence, knowledge related to progressive teaching and the use of technology. Theoretical and practical implications are further discussed.

The Work Environment of the School Leader in Australia: The Case for Sustained Change in Role and Practice

The questions addressed in this essay are (1) how has the work environment of school leaders changed in the early years of the 21st century, (2) how have these changes affected the role of the school leader, (3) what is the association between an evident deterioration in the work environment and the trend to more autonomy for schools and their leaders, and (4) how can school systems be more effective in supporting school leaders? The essay is organised into three domains that emerged from a review of the literature on changes in the work environment: intensification–intimidation, autonomy–accountability and system–support. Six recommendations are derived from the evidence: principals should have greater control over their work environment, system leaders should remove many reporting requirements from schools, there should be “organised abandonment” of outdated practices, the potential benefits of AI should be realised, there should be more engagement in planning for the future, and there should be further research on processes and outcomes through randomised controlled trials of new practices. It is not so much new theories in leadership but rather new roles and new practices within different arrangements for governance, informed by ongoing research as the context changes, amid evidence of deterioration in professional wellbeing.

Segregation or Integration? German language support teachers’ beliefs about ‘ideal’ language support models in Austria

ABSTRACT In response to the increasing challenge of integrating students with migration backgrounds into school systems internationally, various models to support the learning of the language of education have emerged. In Austria, a model of ‘German Language Support Classes’ (GLSC), introduced in 2018, requires that students be pulled out of regular class teaching and taught German in a segregative context. Critics argue that this approach contradicts evidence-based language learning and principles of inclusive education, and that it diminishes school autonomy. With this in mind, we present a qualitative interview study comprising 25 primary teachers of German language in Vienna, Austria, which aims to capture their beliefs about what constitutes ‘ideal practice’ in language education and to explore the extent to which these beliefs are evidence-based. A typological analysis reveals that there is a ‘segregative type’, an ‘integrative type’, and an ‘in-between type’. Although teachers’ perceptions of language education differ, their understandings are similarly shaped by a monolingual habitus. Our findings provide evidence for the inappropriateness of this language education model and reveal aspects of teacher education needed to lead to better outcomes in language education.

Descriptive Study of Teachers’ Perceptions in Using Merdeka Curriculum in Teaching English

This recent research aimed to describe teachers’ perceptions in using Merdeka Curriculum in teaching English in SMA Negeri 3 Gorontalo Utara and SMA Negeri 5 Gorontalo Utara. The method of this research was qualitative design that is hoped to give detail and in-depth information about certain phenomenon. the result of research showed teachers positively perceive the Merdeka Curriculum's structure, commending its flexibility in organizing intracurricular content to cater to diverse student needs through innovative approaches. The division of teaching hours into intracurricular and Pancasila strengthening is also acknowledged. Implementation strengths include flexible teaching models, student-centered learning, and school autonomy. Challenges include effective teaching hour allocation, adapting to new terminology, and the need for continuous support, especially in English learning. Regarding the Pancasila Students' Profile, teachers appreciate the multifaceted approach to character education, emphasizing practical application over theoretical understanding. The early stages of the P5 program show promise in integrating Pancasila values, yet challenges persist in students' character attitudes and the call for enhanced collaboration.

2022 개정 교육과정 ‘학교자율시간’ 실행 경험 탐색

Objectives ‘School-designed autonomous time’, newly introduced in the 2022 revised curriculum, is a note-worthy change in relation to curriculum autonomy and decentralization as it grants schools the authority to develop subjects at a school-level. This study aimed at expanding the autonomy and authority of regions and schools, seeking concrete implementation strategies for school-designed autonomous time, which is newly introduced in the 2022 revised elementary and middle school curriculum.
 Methods This study was conducted using a qualitative case study method: in-depth interviews with teachers, participatory observations of open lessons and teacher meetings, and artifacts related to school autonomy (e.g., school curriculum documents, research paper, teacher meeting materials).
 Results This study explores the main points of school-designed autonomous time described in the 2021 draft and final version of the 2022 revised curriculum. School-autonomous time is valuable as it is an experimental attempt in a region accepted as a national policy, expansion of school-based curriculum development, and posibilities of teachers’ curriculum.
 Conclusions The specific plan and future tasks of school-designed autonomous time in the 2022 revised curricu-lum were explored.

The Role of Education on Human Dignity: Fostering Peace and Diminishing Violence

The concept of human dignity postulates that every individual inherently possesses intrinsic worth. This means that upholding human dignity demands an end to war and violence. Rooted in Catholic social teachings, human life is sacred, and the dignity of the human being is the foundation of a moral vision for society. This becomes instrumental in educating students about the imperative nature of respect, empathy and compassion towards all, irrespective of sociocultural backgrounds and individual beliefs. Given the profound implications held by the concept of human dignity, through their influence on their students, Catholic educational institutions can wield substantial influence in fostering peacebuilding initiatives and mitigating conflict. This research article presents a comparative study between California and Slovenia, highlighting variations in the autonomy of Catholic high schools in terms of teaching and curriculum development and implementation. Qualitative research into private Catholic high schools in these two states shows that those with greater autonomy tend to foster a more comprehensive grasp of human dignity. These schools also demonstrate students’ enhanced ability to swiftly detect violations of human dignity, even when such breaches are not immediately evident. These observations emphasise the crucial role Catholic educational settings thereby play in the realm of peacebuilding and conflict deterrence, underscoring the need to embed a profound comprehension of human dignity in the educational framework.

Odredbe Mažuranićevog zakona o osnivanju narodnih škola i priprema za narodne učitelje u Kraljevinama Hrvatskoj I Slavoniji i zakonodavni okviri za podsticanje stvaralaštva u obrazovanju

Ivan Mažuranić, a Croatian Ban who reigned from 1873 to 1880, implemented significant reforms in education, administration, and judiciary as part of his political program aimed at providing a modern legal framework for Croatian autonomy. During the second year of his reign, on August 19, 1874, Ban Mažuranić proposed the draft Act on the organisation of public schools and teacher training schools, which was adopted and confirmed by the Austrian Emperor and Hungarian-Croatian King Francis Joseph I on October 14, 1874. This Act is considered to be the first Croatian autonomous school law and one of the most liberal school laws in Europe, establishing schools as secular institutions. While many provisions of that Act remain applicable in today's Croatian educational system, they sparked some serious debates and protests across social classes at the time. A qualitative comparative analysis of this Act and the current Act on education in primary and secondary schools will compare the legislative frameworks for encouraging creativity in education and enabling the autonomous work of teachers. By enacting this law, Ban Mažuranić demonstrated his commitment to fulfilling his election promises. Along with other laws enforced in judiciary and administration, this Act paved the way for the modernization of the former Croatian state, aligning it with European standards of a modern civil state.

Freedom of choice contrasted with course ownership – students’ and academic staff’s understanding of learner autonomy in a select engineering school

ABSTRACT Discussion of learner autonomy has often been led by educationalists and policy makers. How do learners interpret the notion? This question, as well as addressing how students’ understandings compared to those of their instructors’ were the questions that the research sought to answer. The research undertook to explore the notion of the autonomous learner as understood by 115 students and 49 instructors at a select French higher education engineering school. Data was collected using open-ended questions and analysed using triangulation to reduce systemic bias via multiple qualitative data analysis methods. Four themes emerged from the analysis. Analyses pointed to similarities and to differences in the ways students and instructors understood the meaning of learner autonomy. Divergent perspectives that students and instructors had revealed that students were more concerned with their ability to compose their curricular programme and choose means to attain objectives. Instructors, on the other hand, were concerned with students’ course subject ownership. Recommendations to bridge understandings and help form a shared vision of goals when speaking of learner autonomy are presented.

목적사업비와 합리적 학교회계 운용 간의 관계 분석

This study examined the current status of targeted funding and its relationship with rational school finance operations. Public elementary schools under the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education from 2019 to 2021 were selected as the research subjects and analyzed using a fixed-effects model. First, the scale of targeted funding is continuously expanding, requiring the attention and efforts of municipal education departments. Second, targeted funding have a negative impact on rational school finance operations, increasing the 4th quarter execution and unused budget rates. Additionally, the impact of targeted funding on school finance operations varies by school size. However, all of these factors were found to have negative effects, including concentrated budget execution at the end of the fiscal year and an increase in unused budgets. In conclusion, the study recommends providing incentives to promote the efforts of municipal education departments in reducing targeted funding, securing autonomy for unit schools in the operation of targeted funding, and providing differentiated guidance for unit school budget management based on school size.

Teacher Autonomy And Supervision Of Teacher Performance In Junior High Schools

This research aims to determine the influence of autonomy and supervision on teacher performance in junior high schools in Ngaliyan sub-district. This type of research is quantitative descriptive research with survey techniques using questionnaires as a data collection method. A questionnaire containing statements regarding research variable indicators, was distributed to 110 teacher respondents in Ngaliyan sub-district junior high schools. The results obtained show that there is a significant influence of teacher work autonomy on teacher performance. Supervision at Ngaliyan Middle School also has a significant effect on teacher performance. Autonomy and supervision influence teacher performance in junior high schools in Ngaliyan subdistrict.

Collaborative approaches: studying horizontal and vertical working relations in schools and how they relate to collaborative-innovation practices

ABSTRACT In Nordic countries, as well as in the Netherlands, schools have high school autonomy (OECD, 2016 [Netherlands 2016 Foundations for the Future. https://www.oecd.org/netherlands/netherlands-2016-9789264257658-en.htm]; Tolo et al., 2020 [Intelligent accountability in schools: A study of how school leaders work with the implementation of assessment for learning. Journal of Educational Change, 21(1), 59–82]). In schools there are both horizontal and vertical working relations and all teachers and school principals within a school are expected to take responsibility for collaborative-innovation practices (CIP). In this paper, we describe a study investigating how both horizontal and vertical working relations relate to CIP. We used longitudinal questionnaire (2036 teachers, 157 schools) and interview data (53 teachers, 20 schools). These data were gathered in Dutch schools participating in the large-scale ‘LeerKRACHT’ program. The results show that teachers perceive horizontal and vertical factors to enhance CIP. Furthermore, especially school principals and coach-teachers seem to be able to strengthen horizontal and vertical factors which leads to more CIP. We discuss implications for research and schools in the Netherlands and beyond.

Psychological structure of teacher well-being: Justification of a situated model

Teacher well-being is recognized as a crucial element in educational work. However, its configuration remains unclear due to the heterogeneity with which its analysis has been approached. This study has tested three measurement models that explain the configuration of this construct based on six variables that have been identified as relevant: teacher self-efficacy, psychological well-being, discomfort due to workload, well-being in the school organization, well-being in student interaction, and collective teacher self-efficacy. A cross-sectional investigation with self-report measures and structural equation models was conducted. The analyses also considered an opposing variable: Professional Burnout in the School. A total of 364 teachers from 13 schools in the Tarapacá Region, Chile, participated. The results have shown the fit of a model that explains a latent variable called the psychological structure of teacher well-being, which has a multidimensional, interactional configuration situated within school organizations. The central elements of this model are contextual variables that can be improved within each school through collective development. This challenges national educational systems to promote teacher well-being through school autonomy.

Estructura psicológica del bienestar docente: justificación de un modelo situado

Teacher well-being is recognized as a crucial element in educational work. However, its configuration remains unclear due to the heterogeneity with which its analysis has been approached. This study has tested three measurement models that explain the configuration of this construct based on six variables that have been identified as relevant: teacher self-efficacy, psychological well-being, discomfort due to workload, well-being in the school organization, well-being in student interaction, and collective teacher self-efficacy. A cross-sectional investigation with self-report measures and structural equation models was conducted. The analyses also considered an opposing variable: Professional Burnout in the School. A total of 364 teachers from 13 schools in the Tarapacá Region, Chile, participated. The results have shown the fit of a model that explains a latent variable called the psychological structure of teacher well-being, which has a multidimensional, interactional configuration situated within school organizations. The central elements of this model are contextual variables that can be improved within each school through collective development. This challenges national educational systems to promote teacher well-being through school autonomy.