The Business of School Leadership: A practical guide for managing the business dimension of schools

Abstract

The roles and responsibilities of school leaders have changed significantly since the mid-1970s as successive state and federal governments have used funding arrangements and policy frameworks to drive agendas of operational efficiency, school-based accountability and increased competition. Government education strategy has been to hold schools accountable for many of the business services and performance standards previously provided by central authorities. Budgeting, staffing, human-resource management, marketing and industrial relations have all been significantly devolved to the school level, and school leaders are being held directly accountable for the successful management of these business dimensions of their schools. Increasingly, school leaders - whether in the public, Catholic or independent systems - must now be highly motivating educational leaders and highly effective business leaders. As the 2008 OECD reports on school leadership note, 'the role of principal conceived for needs of the past is no longer appropriate' (p. 2). The new managerial role of school leaders has, not surprisingly, met with considerable and sustained opposition from many educators who believe that the focus of school leaders is being moved away from supporting teaching and learning, towards the pursuit of operational efficiency and corporate objectives. ... This book is a response to the findings of our research into the business side of school leadership. The intention of this book is to assist school leaders to develop the necessary knowledge, understanding and skills that they need to provide effective leadership for the business side of their schools. It does not aim to convert school leaders into accountants, entrepreneurs or marketing specialists. The book provides the key principles and tactics of business operation that school leaders need if they are to effectively lead both the educational and business imperatives of their schools.