New Zealand Principals: Autonomy at a Cost

New Zealand’s public schools have an unusual degree of self-management. Each school has its own parent-elected board of trustees, responsible for the employment of the principal and school performance. Schools operate within national legislation, following the New Zealand Curriculum, but they operate on their own, without ongoing support from, or participation in, a school district. School leaders enjoy autonomy, and yet they also see the need for better connections between schools and across the system, and they find their own career pathways limited.