Italian School Managers: A complex identity

The article addresses the issue of school leadership from two complementary points of view. The first analysis, static, categorizes the different models of school management and styles of leadership, their relationships, advantages, and disadvantages. The second analysis, dynamic, explains the historical reasons that have led the Italian school system to its present shape, investigates the social changes propaedeutic to the Italian school reform, and presents the problems related to the transition from the traditional model of management by procedures to new models of management. The transition is not complete yet, in fact most of the reform will require years to produce actual results; therefore the empirical work on these issues is still limited. Still, two sets of data, the documents produced by Di.S.A.L., and interviews to 65 school managers support the legal analysis and show how changing the laws is a necessary but insufficient step if it is not followed by a substantial cultural change that makes individuals aware that being accountable for their own actions is the necessary counterpart for greater freedom, and better quality services.

VIDONI Daniele;  PALETTA Angelo; 

2006-10-23

The Education Publishing

JRC31504

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC31504,