From reform to reform: how school reforms are motivated and interrupted – the case of ‘school inspections’ in Germany

ABSTRACT

In this article, we analyse the implementation and change of a specific school reform in Germany using the example of external school evaluation in Lower Saxony: the school inspection. We investigate how and why a newly implemented reform is itself subject to reform shortly afterwards. We begin with a historical background of German school reforms over the last 40 years. Then, we consider school reforms through the lens of organisational theory. Finally, we combine the historical and theoretical perspectives on school reforms placing particular emphasis on more recent developments in external school evaluation. Based on these considerations, we elaborate some theses on reform and routine in schools.

KEYWORDS:

• School reform
• external evaluation
• school inspection
• case study
• Germany

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Heinke Röbken is Professor for Educational Management at the University of Oldenburg. Her teaching and research focus on the management and leadership of school organisations and higher education institutions. Formerly, she has worked at different national and international research institutions, including the School of Education at the University of Wuppertal, the Center for Studies in Higher Education (UC Berkeley), The Centre for Higher and Adult Education (Stellenbosch University) and the Department of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago. Currently she is involved in research on reforms in educational organisations and public administration.

Marcel Schütz is a research assistant and member of the academic staff at the Department of Continuing Education and Education Management at the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg and Lecturer at the Northern Business School Hamburg (Business Administration) and Bielefeld University (Sociology). His teaching and research focus on organisational studies, project and human resource management. Currently, he is involved in research on compliance and organisational deviance.

Pia Lehmkuhl graduated in law and economic sciences. She works as research assistant and member of the academic staff at the Department of Continuing Education and Education Management at the Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg. Her teaching and research focus on management and leadership of public organisations and higher education institutions, especially in the fields of Project Management, HRM and Organisational Development.