School Boards as Social Networks: Effects on Steering the Quality of School Education

• In Event: 63.028 - The Nature of Networks in Schools and Districts

Abstract

Drawing on social capital theory, we perceive school boards as social networks and assume that the governance function in educational organisations is stretched over multiple actors and levels. To answer our central research question “How do structural and affective dimensions of the internal social networks of school boards relate to the way and the extent to which the quality of school education is steered”, we are conducting a survey study at 30 Dutch primary school boards governing 413 primary schools. We systematically map patterns of the internal social networks of school boards with social network methodology and then conduct multilevel analysis to investigate how these patterns are related to steering the quality of school education perceived at the school level.

Authors

• Selma Janssen, Tilburg University

• Edith H. Hooge, Tilburg University

• Peter Sleegers, Universiteit Twente

• Nienke M. Moolenaar, Utrecht University

• Maria Hendriks, Universiteit Twente