Governance Structure and School Effectiveness

This main purpose of the study reported here was to investigate the extent to which the from of school governance (particularly decision-making) had an impact upon the effectiveness of the school with reference to parental involvement, planning and budgeting, professional development of teachers, scool facilities and resources, and student outcomes. Particular attention was given to decision-making within the governance arrangements. The study was based on four case studies of high schools in New South Wales, Australia including one government school, ane independent Christian community school, one independent Catholic school, and one Catholic systemic school. The focus of the research was Principals, teachers, parents, and students of four schools with varying governance structures. To gain a greater insight into the issues, the researcher collected information by questionnaire, semi-structured interview, and review of school key documents. This study found that it was not so much structure but the centrality of the school principal and the way that the principal perceived his/her roles in relation to others that impacted most on school governance.