Standards and competency frameworks for school administrators: Global, comparative and critical perspectives

Abstract

In this introduction to the special issue, we highlight the increased transnational interest in standardizing the knowledge, competencies, and practices that relate to educational leadership. While acknowledging the thematic convergences in leadership standards and competency frameworks from heterogenous localities, we propose that it is critical to interrogate the policy mobilities and the recontextualization of the discourses that have contributed to the formulation and implementation of standards. To achieve this aim, this special issue stages a global dialogue about this global leadership turn by including a selection of articles that discuss the emergence and adoption of education leadership standards in diverse linguistic, social and cultural contexts.

Headteachers and Inclusion: Setting the Tone for an Inclusive School

“…All participants are directors of school clusters located in the districts of Beja (1), Lisbon (7), Porto (1), Santarém (1) and Setúbal (1). Four of these school clusters are located in socially vulnerable contexts and are part of the Educational Priority Intervention Territories (TEIP) (The TEIP Programme is a government initiative currently implemented in 146 school clusters/non-grouped schools that are located in economically and socially disadvantaged areas, marked by poverty and social exclusion, where violence, indiscipline, dropout and school failure are more prevalent (Source: http://www.dge.mec.pt/teip, accessed on 13 November 2022).…”

“…In recent decades there has been a global and gradual growth of interest in educational leadership, particularly around the attempt to identify and operationalise the knowledge, skills and practices related to educational leadership [1]. Current policy guidelines highlight the importance of leaders who know how to set and meet objectives oriented towards school and academic results, promote excellence and seek good results in external and internal assessment processes.…”

Organizational Support for Entrepreneurial Orientation: The Perception of Professionals from Early Childhood Education Centers in Brazil

“…Entrepreneurship can thus contribute to the field of educational management (Fitz, 1999) and result in relevant public policies and services that must be gradually (re)adjusted based on the dynamics of society and globalized relations. This creates challenges and places demands on the educational system, requiring those institutions and their educational managers to constantly be reinventing themselves and improving (Riveros & Wei, 2019), even in early childhood education (Jufri & Wirawan, 2018), where public services must be exemplary and high quality, as it is the beginning of the formal educational process of future citizens.…”

Needs, problems and competencies of school principals in Serbia

“…Riveros & Wei the standards were for the most part grounded in research. Riveros & Wei (2019) noted that standards of competencies stem from Anglophone countries, (2019) noted that standards of competencies stem from Anglophone countries, that they are frequently decontextualised and that they exemplify global con-that they are frequently decontextualised and that they exemplify global convergence in discourses and practices in education which is derived from New vergence in discourses and practices in education which is derived from New Public Management and its emphasis on decentralisation, global competition Public Management and its emphasis on decentralisation, global competition and market-based accountability. and market-based accountability.…”

“…Риверос и Веи (Riveros дарди углавном засновани на истраживањима. Риверос и Веи (Riveros & Wei, 2019) су уочили да стандарди компетенција потичу из англофо-& Wei, 2019) су уочили да стандарди компетенција потичу из англофоних земаља, да су често деконтекстуализовани и да представљају при-них земаља, да су често деконтекстуализовани и да представљају пример глобалне конвергенције у дискурсима и праксама у образовању мер глобалне конвергенције у дискурсима и праксама у образовању која је изведена из концепта Новог јавног управљања (енг. која је изведена из концепта Новог јавног управљања (енг.…”