Leadership and Management Development in Education (Education ...

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PREPARING AND SUPPORTING LEADERS IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES63Decentralised systemsIn decentralised systems, the initiative usually lies with the candidate. Headshipsand other senior posts are advertised and there is an open competition forthe posts. A shortlist of applicants is drawn up, ostensibly on the basis of a ‘fit’between the candidates’ qualifications and experience, and the job criteria. Thefinal selection process usually involves a panel interview, often supplementedby practical activities, which may include teaching and/or managerial tasks.Increasingly, attention is paid to equal opportunities, to ensure, as far as possible,that candidates are treated equally regardless of gender, race, disability andother personal variables (Bush and Middlewood 2005).Watson (2003a: 7) reports that, in most European countries, ‘headship postsare widely advertised as they become vacant’. He adds that there is ‘wide variety’in terms of who is involved in the selection process, ranging from nationalministries, local government, parents and teachers. When the process is orchestratedby central government, as in Bulgaria (Stanev and Mircheva 2003), thedegree of decentralisation is limited. While posts are advertised, the selectionprocess is handled by the bureaucracy rather than by school-level panels.Where the selection is handled at local level, as in Estonia, school-level variablesmay have greater prominence. Candidates are expected to articulate a‘vision’ for the school to a temporary committee of five people, who make a recommendationto the municipality’s director of education (Isok and Lilleorg2003: 80). In Iceland and Italy, however, the process is handled largely bymunicipal officials, with little school-level input (Hansen 2003: 120; Scurati2003: 153). Rektors (principals) are also appointed by the municipality inNorway, usually on the basis of interviews (Lein 2003: 189).Denmark is one of several European countries where the process is handledby the school board. It appoints a committee comprising representatives of parents,teachers and the senior management team. Following interviews, it recommendsa candidate to the full school board, which, in turn, makes a finalrecommendation to the municipal council (Moos 2003: 58). In Hungary, thereis a substantial role for school-level bodies, including teachers and support staff,but the final decision is made by the local council (Gergely 2003: 110–11). Inthe 16 states of federal Germany, a preliminary selection is made by the localadministration, following advertisements and the submission of documents bycandidates. Several candidates are presented to school-level election bodies,which make the final decision (Roeder and Schkutek 2003: 100).In England, the recruitment and selection processes are handled wholly atschool level. The governing body appoints a panel, including parents, to carryout the selection procedure on its behalf. Shortlisted candidates are usuallyexpected to make a presentation prior to interview. They may also be expectedto undertake certain exercises and/or to teach a ‘trial lesson’ (Taylor and
64LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT IN EDUCATIONRowan 2003: 69). Principals are also appointed by school boards in Ireland(Murray 2003: 130), and the Netherlands (Derks 2003: 170).New Zealand has one of the most devolved school systems in the world, andprincipals are appointed by individual Boards of Trustees. There is no formalrequirement for aspiring principals to be qualified but a range of provisionexists for candidates seeking to advance their claims and persuade Boards oftheir suitability (Huber and Robertson 2004: 249). There is a similar role forschool boards in many North American states. Principals are appointed by thedistrict but only on the advice of the school councils, which comprise localpoliticians, teachers, a pupil representative and parents. Only candidates withan approved master’s degree in educational administration can be consideredfor appointment (Huber 2004b).The selection process is at its most democratic in Portugal. Schools are managedby an Executive Council, ‘a team of three teachers elected from the teachingbody of the school by an electoral college which includes all teaching andnon-teaching staff and parental and student representatives’ (Afonso 2003:196). Executive Council candidates must present themselves as a team and presenttheir views about the school and its policies. Afonso (2003: 197) adds thatthe appointments are ‘based on a political process carried out through votingprocedures without the use of professional or technical procedures such asinterviews, referees, curriculum vitae or psychometric tests’. Most candidates(90 per cent) do not have formal leadership qualifications.Similar arrangements apply in Spain, except that the election is for a singleschool director rather than a leadership team. Applicants present their programmeto the Administrative Council of the school, which may then question them. Thisprocess is followed by a secret ballot. Voting continues until one candidate has anabsolute majority of the votes. Only teachers with a certificate of aptitude areeligible to apply. The certificate may be awarded following training and anevaluation by an inspector. Sala (2003: 236) concludes that the Spanish model is‘in crisis’ because there are no applicants in 49 per cent of schools, and the schooldirector has to be appointed by the community department of education.Slovenia follows a similar pattern, with the School Council advertising the postand then leading the selection process. It has to seek the views of teachers andthe local community, and the former are involved in voting, after attending candidates’presentations. The Ministry has to approve the appointment and will doso only if it is supported by a majority of the teaching staff (Erculj 2003: 226–7).In all the school systems discussed above, judgements are made about thecapability of candidates, by central or municipal government or by school-levelbodies. In most cases, this takes account of their leadership qualifications andexperience. In a minority of countries, only qualified candidates can beemployed.This candidate-led approach to staff selection has several advantages, notably
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THE FUTURE OF LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMEN
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