Data-based school improvement

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to investigate how principals and school supervisory authorities understand and use feedback from mandatory proficiency tests (VERA) in the low-stakes context of Germany. For the analysis, the authors refer to a theoretical model of schools that differentiates between Autonomous and Managed Professional Organisations (Thiel, 2008a). Design/methodology/approach -The empirical basis of the qualitative research are contrastive case studies which are focusing on individual schools and on school supervisory authorities. The selection of cases was oriented on Theoretical Sampling according to Glaser and Strauss (2005). For the analysis, the authors used a sample of upper track secondary schools (Gymnasien), four from Berlin and five each from Thuringia, Brandenburg and Baden-Wuerttemberg. In total, the authors conducted 229 structured interviews over two periods in 19 schools with different protagonists on all levels of the educational system (principals, heads of subject departments, teachers and school supervisory officials). The interview data were descriptively analysed according to procedures of qualitative content analyses (Mayring, 2010). Findings -The analyses show a clear tendency in the direction of the Autonomous Professional Organisation within the context of VERA. However, some principals reported activities according to a Managed Professional Organisation. The traditional decoupling remains and the supervisory authorities retain their picture of the individual school as an Autonomous Professional Organisation. Both levels have a major deficit in a competent use of VERA and lack profound experience with accountability and evaluation processes.

School Principals Practices in Holding Teachers Accountable for Curriculum Implementation: Insight from Ethiopian Public Primary Schools

“…Insight from Ethiopian Public Primary Schools pg. 28 management accountability relationships (MoE, 2002;Ramsteck et al, 2015).…”

A Study of School Principals' Practices to Ensure Teacher Accountability for Curriculum Implementation in Ethiopian Primary Schools

“…School principals play a crucial role in ensuring the curriculum is effectively implemented, requiring continuous improvement on their part. This can be accomplished through establishing management accountability relationships, as noted by the Ministry of Education (MoE, 2002) and research conducted by Ramsteck et al (2015). According to the MoE (2002), teachers are primarily responsible for implementing the curriculum, while principals hold them accountable for their duties.…”

School principals' experiences of autonomy and accountability: outcomes of the School Education Quality Improvement Project in Kuwait

“…School principals with increased autonomy also have a greater influence on teaching practices. For school principals to successfully carry out their respective duties and responsibilities, they must constantly identify ways of improving teaching practices in both the short and long term (Ramsteck et al. , 2015).…”

“…School principals with increased autonomy also have a greater influence on teaching practices. For school principals to successfully carry out their respective duties and responsibilities, they must constantly identify ways of improving teaching practices in both the short and long term (Ramsteck et al, 2015). Without autonomy, it can be difficult for school principals to make adjustments or changes aimed at improving the teaching practices within their respective schools.…”