This document outlines a multi-phase, international study on the relationship between school autonomy and student learning. The study will examine how school autonomy structures and cultures influence leadership practices around curriculum and learning across six different education systems. In Phase 1, researchers will synthesize existing evidence and examine approaches to school-based management, curriculum reform, and 21st century skills in each system. Phase 2 will involve in-depth case studies of high-performing schools in the six countries. Phase 3 will use large-scale surveys to test which autonomy practices are effective system-wide. Finally, Phase 4 will focus on teacher professional development for 21st century skills. The goal is to contribute to the understanding of how school autonomy can help adapt education to

1. International study on school
autonomy and learning
Ministry of Education
Chief Scientist Office
10/06/2014

2. Background
• School autonomy reforms as a global phenomenon,
with variation with respect to practice
• Paradigm shift in pedagogy towards “21st century
skills” for lifelong learning and sustainable
development
• Assumption: school autonomy facilitates paradigm
shift and adaptation to changing environments
• Lack of strong international evidence with
comprehensive empirical findings
• Our objective: to contribute to deeper understanding
of the relationship of school autonomy to teachers’
effective teaching and students’ active learning across
different cultural contexts

3. Objective
How does school autonomy (structures and
cultures) influence leadership practices in
relation to curriculum and learning across 6
jurisdictions in the 21st Century?

4. Phase 1
1. Synthesis of existing international evidence:
Pedagogical leadership
School Autonomy and Learning
21st Century skills
2. A. Overview of school system and approach to
SBM/Autonomy
B. How is each system approaching curriculum
reform and 21st Century learning?
3. Redesign of issues and questions for phase 2, then
methodology development
4. Face to face meeting early Summer 2015

5. Phase 2
• Goal: developing an inventory of autonomy practices
• 3-7 Case studies per system X 6 countries
• Criteria to choose –
- Outcomes (sustained outperforming/dramatic
improvement)
- Student socioeconomic background
- Autonomy
- Primary, secondary
- Public schools only (not including charter schools,
selective schools)
• Ethnographic approach (1 month observations in classes
and staff meetings) in addition to interviews (conducted
after the observations).
• Use surveys (e.g., PISA, Cheng’s)

6. Phase 3
• Goal: testing which autonomy practices work
system-wide
• Large scale surveys – focusing on specific
autonomy practices that work.
• Connecting to 21st century skills learning –
relying on PISA 2015/2018
• Outlier cases – for further case study.
• Optional intervention - Development of a
training program for principals and testing its
effect.

7. Phase 4
• Focusing on pedagogy & teacher professional
development for 21st century skills
• Perhaps recruiting pedagogy experts

8. Funding
• Phase 1+2 – local
• Phase 3+4 – international (e.g., OECD)

10. Research questions
How does school autonomy (structures and cultures) influence
leadership practices in relation to curriculum and learning across 6
jurisdictions in the 21st Century?
1. What aspects of structural autonomy are the most influential on
leadership practices in relation to learning?
2. How do school leaders consistently utilize their autonomy to improve
student outcomes and develop successful lifelong learners? In
particular, how do they develop staff capacity, quality and distributed
leadership?
3. How do different school systems build cultures of autonomy?
4. How do accountability structures (including national tests, inspection
and targets) support or constrain the development of cultures of
autonomy?
5. What are the roles that need to be undertaken by intermediate level
structures to ensure equity and whole system performance, and how
do these roles impact on school autonomy?
6. How is any of the above influenced by school context?