EDUCATIONAL GOVERNANCE AND POLICY IMPLEMENTATION IN A DECENTRALIZED EDUCATION SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN GERMANY

Abstract

This study aims to analyze educational governance and policy implementation in public schools within the framework of state decentralization in Germany. The decentralized education system provides high autonomy for public schools in managing resources, curriculum, and teaching and learning processes, but also presents challenges related to uniform standards and equity in education quality. The research method used is a case study with a qualitative approach, involving analysis of policy documents, interviews with principals, teachers, and school boards, and observations of school management and learning practices. The results show that decentralization encourages flexibility, innovation, and multi-actor participation in school governance, which have a positive impact on the effectiveness of policy implementation. Key supporting factors include principal leadership capacity, teacher and community participation, and clear policy guidelines, while inhibiting factors include limited resources, policy variation across Länder, and coordination challenges between actors. This study concludes that decentralization can improve the quality of education governance and services if supported by effective leadership, good coordination, and equitable distribution of resources. These findings provide important implications for policymakers and school administrators in improving education quality in decentralized systems.