The complexities and tensions of school governance: a case study of the governing body of an Australian independent school

Abstract

This research presents and explains the role and work of the governing body of an Australian independent school and explores the complex and dynamic interplay of factors that influence the educational and governance practices of the School Council. My experience as a member of a governing body of an independent school led me to investigate the world of independent school governance. A review of the literature on corporate governance, nonprofit governance and school governance provided insights into the theoretical underpinnings of governance models; however, these were revealed as one-dimensional and inadequate to explain the complex and dynamic governance environment of an independent school. The majority of the literature was founded in normative prescriptions for governance, with little support from empirical investigation and a paucity of empirical research on governance in the independent school sector was noted. The literature also revealed the growing influence of corporate governance 'best practice' models and principles on nonprofit organizations and schools. The conventional governance literature therefore offered few tools with which to study governance in an independent school, and required investigation beyond the governance literature to identify an appropriate theoretical approach as a framework in which to interpret, structure and present research findings from a case study research method. Bourdieu's sociologically based thinking tools of habitus, capitals and field, together with the complementary conception of organizational culture of Schein, were selected to illuminate and explain the different facets of the complex integrated social processes of governance of an independent school by its governing body. The case study research method facilitated access to rich data, through twelve months of observations at School Council meetings, interviews and documents, on all aspects of the governing of a large, well established, metropolitan, independent school by its School Council, including cultural and social practices. An auxiliary qualitative research method, in the form of interviews with members of governing boards of 'like' independent schools, assisted to frame the themes that emerged from the data sets and placed the case study school in the context of these schools.The major findings of this case study are organized into five themes; namely the specificities of educational governance, accountabilities, culture, school ownership and gender. Governance in a school context presents unique challenges, including the complexity of stakeholder management, the presence of stakeholders as members of the governing body, and the relationship between the governing body and the school Head. That relationship is undergoing significant evolution in response Council. These tensions were replicated in the interfaces between the Church, as the owner of the School, and the School Council, as the governing body. The Chairman also had a critical role in navigating these interfaces. The findings reflecte...