TY - JFULL AU - Behnaz Mohajeran and Alireza Ghaleei PY - 2008/5/ TI - Principal Role and School Structure T2 - International Journal of Educational and Pedagogical Sciences SP - 356 EP - 366 VL - 2 SN - 1307-6892 UR - https://publications.waset.org/pdf/14640 PU - World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology NX - Open Science Index 16, 2008 N2 - This main purpose of the study reported here was to investigate the extent to which the form of school governance (particularly decision-making) had an impact upon the effectiveness of the school with reference to parental involvement, planning and budgeting, professional development of teachers, school facilities and resources, and student outcomes. Particular attention was given to decision-making within the governance arrangements. The study was based on four case studies of high schools in New South Wales, Australia including one government school, one independent Christian community school, one independent Catholic school, and one Catholic systemic school. The focus of the research was principals, teachers, parents, and students of four schools with varying governance structures. To gain a greater insight into the issues, the researchers collected information by questionnaire, semi-structured interview, and review of school key documents. This study found that it was not so much structure but the centrality of the school Principal and the way that the Principal perceived his/her roles in relation to others that impacted most on school governance. ER -