How do New Zealand schools make substantial changes? Why do schools feel the need to change? Do they change simply in reaction to outside pressure, or as a result of their own values? Does change become an everyday practice or does it need heroic effort? What kind of change is sustainable over time? How important are government provision and accountability frameworks?
A significant research report, Sustaining School Improvement: Ten primary schools' journeys shows influential factors in sustainable school improvement in New Zealand. The study confirms the central role of high teacher expectations and professional development for school improvement.
The research report describes the changes and processes of change that have occurred in the study schools and identifies the underlying principles in the pattern of change.