The political power of school principals in israel: A case study

This case study explored the way principals in Israel organized a forum and assumed roles beyond their educational responsibility. This occurred as an unexpected result of a state-wide project that was initiated and operated by the Ministry of Education. The aim of the project was to strengthen local educational systems by developing local educational leaderships and by improving scholastic achievements. Participant observation, interviews, and reading of documents and newspapers revealed that the principals changed their role in a three-phase process. First, the project unintentionally raised principals' awareness of the social-political nature of their work. Second, principals organized into an interest group that cooperated with other community groups. Third, they sought to revitalize their respective communities, beyond their educational leadership. They extended their turf from school to community, and their role from school leadership to community avant-garde.