The Future of Education
A Six-Actor Managerial Framework for School Governance and Institutional Quality: Evidence from Field Research
Ioan Marius Campean, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (Romania)
Abstract
This paper draws on empirical research conducted during a doctoral study and introduces a managerial framework for examining school governance and institutional quality, anchored in a six-actor model: school principals, teachers, auxiliary staff, students, parents, and community actors. The study assumes that school governance extends beyond leadership decisions and should be understood as a dynamic process of participation, communication, accountability, and collaboration among the actors involved in school life.
The research employs a quantitative methodology, using a structured questionnaire administered to the main actor groups involved in school governance. The questionnaire assessed perceptions of participation in decision-making, institutional communication, transparency, accountability, collaboration, and institutional quality. The data were analysed through descriptive and comparative statistical methods in order to identify differences among actor groups and clarify the managerial implications of the findings.
The findings indicate that school governance is primarily perceived as centred on school leadership and teachers, while the involvement of students, parents, auxiliary staff, and community actors is less formalized. The results suggest that institutional quality is associated with stronger communication, clearer role delineation, enhanced transparency, and more consistent collaboration among the six actor groups.
The main contribution of the paper is the empirical grounding of a six-actor managerial framework for assessing school governance and supporting institutional practices oriented towards quality, collaboration, and organizational development in European education systems.
Keywords: school governance; six-actor model; institutional quality; field research; educational management; European education systems
