Change Management in the Context of Educational Reforms: Theoretical Assumptions of School Leaders’ Leadership

Abstract

The implementation of educational reforms is one of the most complex challenges in public governance, as political decisions made at the national level do not automatically translate into action in schools. They are interpreted and implemented within a specific organisational context, in which the leadership of school heads plays a key role. This article analyses the theoretical assumptions of change management and the leadership of school heads, explaining why the success of educational reforms depends not only on the content of the reform but also on its implementation at the organisational level. The aim of this article is to analyse theoretical approaches to change management and leadership that reveal the role of school heads in the context of educational reforms. The article is theoretical in nature. The study applies an analysis of the scientific literature, theoretical interpretation, and comparative analysis. The article analyses process-oriented and descriptive change management models, the evolving role of heads of schools, and the main forms of leadership in the context of organisational change. The article states that, in the process of implementing reforms, the school leader acts as an intermediary between national education policy and the school’s organisational practices. The success of reforms depends on the leader’s ability to interpret the goals of change, unite the community, and manage organisational processes. Therefore, when analysing educational reforms, it is important to focus not only on the contents of policy decisions, but also on organisational mechanisms and leadership practices.