School Leadership
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
2.2. Selection and working conditions
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
1. Terminology
The 1962 School Organisation Act uses the term “Schulleiter/Sin, Schulleitung” to refer to school leaders in Austria. The term may be translated as headmaster, headteacher, principal, school manager, or school director.
According to the 1948 Act on the Service and Remuneration Law for Federal Contract Staff, the contract teacher in the school management role may also use the designation of “Direktor/in”.
Section 10 of the 1986 School Education Act states that the headmaster is the immediate supervisor of all teachers and other staff working at the school. He is responsible for the management of the school and the maintenance of the connection between the school, the pupils and the legal guardians.
The 2017 Education Reform Act allowed for the creation of school clusters (Schulcluster), where smaller schools cooperate under one leadership “Leiter/in des Schulclusters, Schulclusterleitung” with division managers “Bereichsleiter/in” for individual locations/schools.
Thus, policy documents may use the term “leitende Funktionen”, managerial/leadership functions, to cover all school leaders.
2. School principals
2.1. Leadership standards and roles
Competency standards and leadership frameworks and guidelines
There is no national framework for school leadership competencies. Competencies are provided in the statutory basis for the appointment such as in the 2019 Ordinance of the Federal Minister of Education, Science and Research promulgating the rules of procedure of the Evaluation Commission for Leading Functions in the School Service. § 9. Requirements for School Management are also posted on the Federal Ministry of Education, Science, and Research website. Furthermore the 1979 Civil Service Act, § 207, defines selection criteria for school leaders. Leadership and management competency standards are also included in the curriculum for the higher education degree which school leaders are required to take. Section 10 of the 1986 School Education Act lists the roles and responsibilities of the school heads.
Linked to competency standards and school management, Austria has a "Quality Management System for Schools" (QMS). It applies to all Austrian schools starting with the school year 2021/22. In September 2021 QMS has been implemented and substituted the two formerly separate quality systems (SQA – School Quality in General Education and QIBB – VET Quality Initiative) by introducing a new and consistent system for all schools alike. In January 2021 the introduction of QMS was prepared with the publication of the Quality Framework for Schools (QF) and the school-based quality assessment (siQe = schulinterne Qualitätseinschätzung). The Quality Framework for Schools (QF) describes the essential characteristics of school quality and forms the binding, content-based foundation of the Quality Management System for Schools (QMS).
Roles
Setting expectations/objectives: Headmasters are responsible for the management of the school. Prior to their appointment, headmasters prepare their management and development ideas which include management and development concepts as well as the short-, medium- and long-term objectives for themselves and the school, including concrete measures to achieve these targets. Organizational skills are critical for headmasters.
Developing teaching and learning: One of the main responsibilities of the headmaster, according to the 1986 School Education Act (§ 56) is the development of the school and teaching. They should regularly inspect the state of teaching and the performance of the pupils. Headmasters also have innovative spirit creativity and diversity competences and are able to apply this to their schools. Pedagogical School Development and Instructional Development are required skills listed by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Research, alongside management and organization of school life including personnel and material resources. Headmasters structure and organize school assignments, strategically aligning the curriculum of the school to follow national standards.
Promoting collaboration: Headmasters are responsible for liaising between the school, the pupils, and the legal guardians, according to the 1986 School Education Act (§ 9). They should have good conflict management skills, social skills and communication skills . Furthermore, headmasters are responsible for forming and maintaining school partnerships and external relations.
Supporting staff development: Section 10 of the 1986 School Education Act states that headmasters are responsible for managing their staff members strategically, helping to guide them in their teaching and educational work. All teachers are mandated to take part in in-service training events for 15 hours per year. According to the 1948 Act on the Service and Remuneration Law for Federal Contract Staff, the school manager must hold regular discussions with each teacher individually or in small groups to plan individual further education and training for the next three school years. However, this task may be delegated in whole or in part to a department head or a subject head. Professionalization and personnel development is a required skill listed by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Research. Headmasters are responsible for the further education and training of pedagogical staff.
Acting in accordance with the ethical principles of the profession: The Council of Ministers, in 2020, adopted the new Code of Conduct for the Prevention of Corruption in the Public Service which supports public sector employees and managers in preventing corruption. The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, has adopted its Code of Conduct already in 2019. The Code of Conduct serves as a guide and reference work. It does not have the effect of a law or a regulation. It is an instrument for preventing corruption and is intended to make people aware that even legally unobjectionable actions can become a problem. For employees, it offers ethical standards of conduct.
Others: Headmasters should have gender and diversity competence according to the 2019 Ordinance. This should also be reflected in their school plans.
2.2. Selection and working conditions
Degree requirements and prior teaching experience
The Ministry of Education, Science and Research sets the requirements for the school head. Headmasters in Austria must qualify as a teacher and have at least five years of teaching experience in a school regulated by law. Candidates must also have completed at least 20 ECTS credits of the Professional Leadership in Schools university course (Schulen professionell führen) or an equivalent certification. Upon nomination, a candidate must complete the Professional Leadership in Schools course (60 ECTS total) within 4.5 years. This requirement was enforced for tenured principals beginning 2024 [for vacancies published 2024 and later].
To become a registered teacher, one must enter a bachelor’s (240 ECTS) or master’s programme (60-90 ECTS) for the school level which they will teach in with a lengthy induction phase in which they will be mentored throughout the beginning of their role.
Advancement to further pay levels occurs after a set number of years.
Appointment decision
The 2019 Ordinance of the Federal Minister of Education, Science and Research promulgating the rules of procedure of the Evaluation Commission for Leading Functions in the School Service states that candidates for school head must prepare a development concept for the desired function at the respective school. An evaluation committee (Begutachtungskommission, BK) is set up by the board of education: Members with voting right are the Director of Education or a professionally suitable representative to be appointed by him or her, a school supervisory body to be appointed by the Director of Education, a member to be delegated by the responsible expert committee and one member to be delegated by the Public Service Union. Furthermore, the evaluation commission shall include the following members in an advisory capacity, an expert from the institution conducting the assessment (personnel consultant), one representative of the parents and one representative of the pupils from the school community committee of the school concerned and the responsible equal opportunities officer (“Gleichbehandlungsbeauftragte/r”). In a first meeting of the evaluation committee the chairperson will obtain a decision as to whether the applicant in question fulfils all selection criteria (section 2 of the 2019 Ordinance). The applicants remaining for selection go through a two-part aptitude test. The first is a diagnostic aptitude test which includes a computer-aided potential analysis. The second is a structured interview. Leadership and management competencies are tested and given a suitability score. The evaluation committee must also review the management and development ideas of the applicants, which include management and development concepts, as well as the short-, medium- and long-term objectives, including concrete measures to achieve these targets. The committee determines whether the applicant is suitable for the “highest degree,” “high degree,” or “lesser degree.” The final report prepared with the suitability of the applicants may be inspected by the school’s management body, after which it is forwarded to the local body responsible for the selection.
Employment equity measures
The evaluation committee is always asked to take into consideration gender and diversity, following the Federal Equal Opportunities Act and the Plan for the advancement of women of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. However, there does not seem to be any explicit equity measures.
Working conditions
The appointment of a school head is initially effective for five years. If a re-appointment occurs, it is effective indefinitely. The 1948 Act on the Service and Remuneration Law for Federal Contract Staff sets the salary for full-time contract staff. School heads, or other staff with management functions, are provided an additional service allowance on top of the base salary for full-time contract staff. The amount varies depending on the school’s management function category and the number of years of experience. Advancement to further pay levels occurs after a set number of years. For example, to move from salary level one to two requires 3,5 years of service. A headmaster at salary level one at a category A school under a contract for up to five years would receive a base pay of 3401,2 Euros with an additional service allowance of 841,9 Euros. Headmasters are also entitled to a service allowance for the first six years after termination.
The act also states that the contract teacher in the role of school manager is exempt from teaching obligations.
2.3. Leadership preparation and training
Pre-service training
The university course "Professional Leadership in Schools – Pre-Qualification" (20 ECTS) is an offer for the professionalization of teachers of all types of schools who want to apply for a school management or other management position in the education sector. Applicants may take this course to qualify for leadership positions. Contents include: Leadership and Direction (Understanding of Leadership, Leadership Tasks); Organizational Development and Leadership; Personnel management and personnel development; Quality management and quality development; and Fundamentals of school and service law.
Induction and in-service training
The rest of the courseload of the Professional Leadership in Schools programme (40 ECTS) should be completed after appointment within the first 4.5 years of service. The university course "School Management for School Principals of All School Types" (12 EC) is a part-time mandatory course for newly appointed school principals and is integrated into the new university course.
Self-reflection and self-development are listed in the Requirements Profile for School Management. Active school leaders can take advantage of a wide range of further training. Results of the 2018 TALIS study showed that the vast majority of headmasters participated in some sort of training.
3. Teachers, parents and students
3.1. School management committees and boards
Primary schools, compulsory secondary schools, and special needs schools are required to set up a class forum (Klassenforum), for each class, and a school forum (Schulforum), for each school, to strengthen, consolidate and promote the school community. For pre-vocational schools, part-time vocational schools and medium higher-level schools, a school community committee (Schulgemeinschaftsausschuss) is set up. The school forum and the school community committee are responsible for advising on all matters relating to pupils, teachers and guardians of the school, in particular on important issues relating to teaching and education, the use of budget funds transferred by the school and construction measures in the area of the school. Section 13, subsection 63 of the 1986 School Education Act lists the responsibilities of these forums/committees. For example, school forums and school community committees may make decisions on school events; the provision of teaching materials for pupils; the preparation of guidelines on the reuse of textbooks; house rules; or the enactment of school-autonomous curriculum provisions.
Class forums are comprised of the class teacher and the legal guardians of the pupils of the class concerned. The school forum is made up of the headmaster, all class teachers, and all class parent representatives elected by their respective classes. The representatives of the pupils and the parents’ association chairperson are invited to the meetings of the school forum. If agenda items concern matters of other persons who need representation (such as educational advisors, school doctors, heads of the dormitory), the headmaster must also invite these persons. The school forum may, if necessary, adopt rules of procedure for itself, the committee and the class forums.
Schools that are a part of a school cluster, may decide to transfer responsibilities to the School Cluster Advisory Board (Schulclusterbeirat). The members of the School Cluster Advisory Board are: the head of the school cluster as chairperson, the school spokespersons of the schools participating in the school cluster, one representative to be sent by the School Forum or the School Community Committee of the schools participating in the school cluster from among the teachers' representatives, one representative to be sent by the School Forum or the School Community Committee of the schools participating in the school cluster from among the representatives of the legal guardians, and a minimum of three and a maximum of eight other representatives of the regional cooperation partners.
3.2. Middle leaders
The 1948 Act on the Service and Remuneration Law for Federal Contract Staff includes various middle leaders in the Austrian school system. Heads of Department or Subject Heads (Abteilungsvorstand /-vorständin or Fachvorstehung /-vorständin) are appointed for five years. They are responsible for supporting the school management and carrying out management and coordination tasks in their respective teams. These teachers have lower teaching obligations to allow them the time needed to exercise their additional responsibilities.
Head class teachers (Klassenvorstand/Klassenvorständin) at schools with subject-teacher systems are responsible for fostering cooperation among teachers, coordinating educational work, matching classroom instruction with the class's performance and pupils' abilities, offering guidance on educational matters, facilitating communication between the school and parents, overseeing essential organizational tasks, and managing all official documents and files.
Teachers can also be mentors if they have at least five years of professional experience. Furthermore, they need to complete the university course ‘Mentoring, professional career entry support’ or a comparable university course totaling at least 30 ECTS credits. According to the 1948 Act on the Service and Remuneration Law for Federal Contract Staff, mentors accompany new contract teachers during their induction phase and advise them in planning and designing lessons. Mentors also analyze and reflect on their contract teachers’ activities in teaching and education, guide them to the extent necessary, support them in their professional development, and help them cope with professional demands.
Additional middle leaders include contract teachers with one of the following special functions: subject coordinators, educational advice, career orientation coordination, middle school learning design, special and curative education, and practical school lessons. Additional relevant training is required for each position and a service allowance is also provided.
3.3. Parents
Subsection/§ 61 of the 1986 School Education Act states that “parents and guardians have the right and duty to support the school's teaching and educational work. They have the right to be heard, as well as to submit proposals and opinions. They are obliged to [...] contribute to the promotion of the school community.” Parents and legal guardians have the right to be heard, the right to be informed about all matters that affect parents and pupils, the right to submit proposals and opinions, the right to participate in teachers’ conferences, and the right to express their opinions on the choice of teaching materials. Headmasters are asked to encourage the establishment and operation of parents’ associations, which are open to all legal guardians of pupils of the school concerned. The bodies of the Parents' Association may communicate suggestions, wishes and complaints to the headmaster and the class board. Further rules for the composition of the Parents’ association as well as their roles and responsibilities are determined by the statutes of the individual school.
3.4. Students
Subsection 58 of the 1986 School Education Act states that “pupils of a school have the right to co-manage pupils in the form of representation of their interests and the participation in school life”. School/Pupil representatives in grade nine and onwards have the following rights: the right to be heard, the right to be informed about all matters concerning pupils in general, the right to submit proposals and opinions, the right to participate in teachers’ conferences, the right to have a say in the design of lessons within the framework of the curriculum, and the right to participate in the choice of teaching materials. They also have co-determination rights on the application of educational resources, on the application for the exclusion of a pupil, and in the determination of teaching resources. Pupil representatives must be appointed at all schools, with the exception of primary schools. The Assembly of Pupil Representatives consists of class representatives who are elected to their positions. The Assembly is responsible for deliberating on matters relating to the representation of pupils' interests and the participation in shaping school life. Meetings take place for up to five hours of teaching per semester. Student-representative lessons that take place outside of class time are not subject to the teacher's duty of supervision.
4. Governance
For the whole school sector, the Board of Education, an administrative authority, which merges the administrative duties of the Federal Government (responsible for federal schools) and the federal states (responsible for compulsory schooling), is in charge. The Boards of Education have the standard duties nationwide which were previously entrusted constitutionally to the state government departments, and which differed greatly in organization from region to region. Creation of the Boards of Education as a joint Federal Government and federal state authority thus constitutes a central education authority.
The Boards of Education execute school legislation in its entirety (apart from agricultural and forestry schooling and the central teacher training institutions). The Boards of Education also execute employment law and staff representation rights for federal and state teachers and other employees in state schools (excluding agricultural and forestry colleges).
The duties of the preceding state education authorities and those of the education departments in the federal state governments are bundled in this joint Federal Government-federal state authority. Other federal or regional enforcement matters can also be transferred to the Boards of Education, such as kindergartens or after-school care.
The Federal Minister for Education, Science and Research is the highest authority for federal execution matters and the respective state governments are the highest authority for regional execution matters.
4.1. Autonomy of school leaders
The school headmaster, according to the 1962 School Organisation Act, is able to choose alternative compulsory subjects to be listed. They should keep in mind the requirements of pedagogy and safety, the special needs of pupils, spatial possibilities, the workload of teachers, and the personnel resources allocated to the school. While the federal government defines the educational standards and targets, schools have the autonomy to choose how to achieve them. According to the 1948 Act on the Service and Remuneration Law for Federal Contract Staff,, the school director has a right to comment on job applications and submit suggestions to the personnel department with regards to the positions to be filled at the school. The Ministry of Education, Science, and Research states in the Requirements Profile for School Management that school management is responsible for the selection of pedagogical staff. Budgeting is also a listed leadership and management competency that is measured for school leaders.
4.2. Assessment and accountability of school leaders
School Quality Managers are responsible for the supervision of school management personnel. According to the 2019 Ordinance of the Federal Minister of Education, Science and Research concerning School Quality Management, School Quality Managers hold the school management or school cluster management accountable. They are required to hold periodic balance and target agreement discussions with the school management. These discussions are carried out on the basis of the school development plans drawn up and submitted by the school management and school cluster managers in accordance with the requirements of the quality management system at the school level, the relevant data from the education monitoring, the results of the internal school evaluation and the reports of the external school evaluation. If it is determined that basic quality criteria are not met at a school location, development measures must be determined together with the school management or school cluster management, including a timetable for their implementation. Periodic personnel development meetings must be held with the school management and school cluster management, in which written agreements must be recorded and the determination of the necessary need for further training must be demonstrated.
4.3. Teacher assessment by school leaders
According to the 1948 Act on the Service and Remuneration Law for Federal Contract Staff, headmasters must have regular meetings with their staff members to help them develop their pedagogical skills. Section 10 of the 1986 School Education Act states that headmasters must advise the teachers in their teaching and educational work. Laws and regulations state that headmasters are responsible for the further education and training of their staff. They also enable evaluations, including the evaluation of the quality of teaching, to be carried out by the bodies of external school evaluation and to take their results into account in the development of schools and teaching. Headmasters have to report to the Board of Education on the performance of teachers when special decisions need to be taken (for example when deciding on the renewal of a contract and at the end of the induction period).
This profile was reviewed by Stephanie Godec (on behalf of the Austrian Commission for UNESCO and in accordance with the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research).
