New study explores the role and tasks of school supervision in school transformation

The aim of the study is to gain a detailed picture of the tasks, roles and responsibilities of the school inspectorate within the education administration. To this end, the researchers conducted interviews with staff of the school supervisory authority and other support systems (such as school inspections, school development consultations, etc.) and carried out a standardised survey of school speakers and department heads in five federal states. The focus is on the following questions:

• How does the school supervisory authority manage schools?
• How does it support schools in transformation and (data-supported) further development?
• What interactions exist between school supervision and other support systems?

School supervision has not yet been systematically analysed empirically in German-speaking countries. "Our study is the first that can be expected to provide viable findings based on more comprehensive data sets and will contribute to closing this research gap," explains Professor Kathrin Dedering. The findings are to be published in a publication, which will also offer concrete recommendations for the qualification and further development of school supervision and thus develop practical relevance.