School Principals’ Role in the Interplay Between the Superintendents and Local Education Authorities in Israel

• In Event: Roundtable Session 18.
  In Roundtable Session: District Reform Roundtable

Abstract

Based on the resourced dependency theory, the study probes the extent to which principals cooperate and cope with the local educational authority (LEA) and superintendent influence in schools. A sample of 161 Hebrew elementary school principals in two school districts in Israel completed a questionnaire. The findings indicated that the superintendent and the LEA continued to hold their formal responsibilities. However, differences were found by localities' socio-economic status. In affluent localities, principals cooperate with the superintendent to buffer the increasing LEA's involvement in pedagogic matters. By doing so, principals control external agencies' involvement in schools along with strengthening the power of the Ministry of Education. The theoretical and practical implications of the study will be discussed.

Author

• Audrey Addi-Raccah, Tel Aviv University