This paper analyzes how the different forms of available development tools enhance the Croatian primary school principals' competence to bal-

In this paper, we discuss if the current educational management practices in Croatian schools are in line with the constructivist prescriptions and what is their relationship with the available principal support tools. Our research is based on previous empirical results, related to the perceived needs of school principals for training and support. Namely, in 2011, the surveyed school principals required additional competencies to be developed in the fields of school marketing and management. At that time, the primary school principals are being surveyed, related to their managerial practices and the obtained results are interpreted in the context of the already announced, comprehensive school reform in Croatia, designed according to the constructivist educational theories. The empirical results demonstrate that the managerial practices of Croatian primary schools are not compatible with the constructivist theory of education. One group of principals (27.6%) have adequate delegation skills and focus on the specific fields of project management and school marketing, while the majority demonstrate one (or several) forms of ineffective practices. There is limited empirical evidence of the statistically significant differences in the usage of principal support tools/approaches, although the specific usage patterns have been identified.

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By combining the attributive-taxonomic and process approaches to the profession, resulting from different sociological traditions, the professional elements and the professionalization of school principals in Croatia are analysed. The research was conducted by survey method in 2017. The sample was convenient and included 73 principals who participated in the research activities of the Centre of Scientific Excellence for School Effectiveness and Management. Our results suggest that the job of school principals in Croatia cannot be considered a profession yet. There are no fundamental elements that differentiate the profession from an ordinary occupation. More specifically, there is a lack of expertise in the area of educational management and leadership (authority), cooperation with professional associations in defining the professional socialization (autonomy), as well as high social status (attractiveness) as a result of the state of previous elements. Given the contextual specificity, the discussion presents incentives, obstacles and recommendations for further professionalization of school principals in Croatia. The importance of professional education is emphasized, whose design and implementation should involve representatives of principals’ rofessional associations, as well as decentralization of education system so that theoretical expertise can be developed through the practice. As the trained practitioners focused on a benefit of the educational system stakeholders (altruism), the principals should set the conditions of the profession to make it more attractive for the best candidates.