PRINCIPALS AND TEACHERS REACTIONS TO SCHOOL RESTRUCTURING

There have been relatively few studies that have gauged the thoughts, reactions and expectations held by those working in schools towards de centralisation and restructuring of school systems. This study investi gates the views held by a sample of principals and teachers in Western Australia of the likely effects of restructuring on changing roles an d responsibilities, actual and desired outcomes, changing power and in fluence relations, personal values, and difficulties in meeting new ex pectations. Both principals and teachers predicted that decentralisati on and devolution would increase their workloads and broaden their rol es. Principals would require more human and technical management compe tencies; teachers would assume more non-teaching duties. Notwithstandi ng difficulties and drawbacks, principals and teachers believed that r estructuring would lead to better, more effective, and more efficient schools.