Educational researcher Pietsch involved in School Management Monitor Germany

2023-06-14 Lüneburg/Düsseldorf. Professor Dr. Marcus Pietsch from the Institute of Educational Sciences at the Leuphana University Lüneburg is co-author of the representative study "Schulleitungsmonitor Deutschland" (School Leadership Monitor Germany), for which 1,007 school leaders at general education schools of all school types from all federal states were surveyed. One of the study's findings: Every fourth head teacher wants to leave his or her school.

The "School Leadership Monitor Germany" was commissioned by the Wübben Foundation Education at the University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland. It is being realised as a cooperation project with the Leuphana University Lüneburg, the University of Tübingen and the Vorarlberg University of Education. The reasons given by school headmasters for wanting to change are lack of support (48 percent), inadequate pay (41 percent) and the desire for professional development (40 percent). About a third cite poor working conditions as a motive for changing.

The survey also shows that 88 percent of school headmasters have not undergone any professionally relevant qualification at universities or teacher training colleges for this job. Only slightly more than half (57 percent) of the respondents had completed a formal qualification at a state institute. Professor Pietsch is particularly pensive that university offers are hardly used, because "various studies show that it is precisely the qualification of school leaders at universities that helps to make schools fit for the future."

According to the "Schulleitungsmonitor Deutschland", the trust that school headmasters have in people in the education administration has developed negatively. It has fallen in comparison with previous representative studies from the past three years. The school inspectorate in particular receives poor ratings: Around 40 percent of the school headmasters surveyed take the view that the school inspectorate cannot always be relied on or trusted. Only 39 percent (rather) agree with the statement that the school inspectorate always makes well-considered decisions.

Background information on the study
The aim of the "Schulleitungsmonitor Deutschland" is to record the work situation and actions of school headmasters in Germany. In terms of content, it ties in with the research project "Leadership in German Schools" (LineS), in the framework of which school leaders have already been surveyed between 2019 and 2021 with a view to their career paths.

Links:
To the publication: Schulleitungsmonitor Deutschland - Zentrale Ergebnisse der Erhebung 2022: www.wuebben-stiftung-bildung.org/schulleitungsmonitor-deutschland-2022/
More information on the School Leadership Monitor: www.fhnw.ch/plattformen/slmd/ueber-das-projekt/

More information on Prof. Pietsch: www.leuphana.de/institute/ibiwi/personen/marcus-pietsch.html