Educators’ Perceptions about School Development Planning: A Qualitative Case Study of One Kazakhstani School

Abstract

This study aimed to explore how School Development Planning (SDP) is understood and implemented by school leaders and teachers in one Kazakhstani school. By exploring teachers’ and school leaders’ perceptions and experiences of SDP, this study also looked into the challenges which educators encounter in developing and implementing SDP in their school. Using a qualitative case study method, six participants including school teachers, a principal, a vice principal, and a department head were recruited for face-to-face individual interviews, applying stratified sampling method. The collected qualitative data was analyzed and the findings point out that the participants define, understand and interpret SDP mainly in three ways: SDP as a written document, as a process, as a combination of both. The major significant factors which affect SDP are the capacity of school leadership, collaborative atmosphere and having sufficient time for planning, according to the respondents. Overall, there are more advantages than disadvantages of SDP both for the school and individuals in the organization as ascertained by the participants. The evidence from the data reveals that implementation of SDP is attributed to the creation of the school development plan (SDp) and its’ realization “by creating events”. It turned out that SDP processes such as review and evaluation suggested in the reviewed literature tend to be neglected by the research site since these two stages were not highlighted and depicted by the interviewees. The noteworthy challenges in SDP implementation are linked to school culture, leadership skills of educators, insufficient time for the creation of the SDp, lack of trainings for school leaders. Further studies can look at students’ and parents’ perceptions of SDP processes and the influences of these processes on students’ outcomes and learning experiences.