A common result from research about school performance is that principals are key actors. If principals are important – who are important for them? Thus the purpose of our current research project is to provide knowledge about superintendent leadership. What is regarded as legitimate and meaningful outputs and outcomes and what impact does this new focus on performance measures have on the assignments for superintendents?

An overview of current research shows that superintendents’ work is negotiated and conditioned in and between three dimensions: politics – profession; national intentions – local conditions and public education – private education. Now the governing of schools has drifted from government towards governance, i.e. more interactive models are being introduced. Recent knowledge is lacking about superintendents’ role in this new situation.

A substudy

Superintendents in Swedish municipalities are exposed to a multitude of formal and informal demands. The New Public Management movement has a strong impact in Sweden and claim to provide explicit guidelines in many cases. On top of this media, national and international stakeholders provide a number of “success-lists” offering “golden keys” to the desired future. In this situation the superintendent’s capacity to interpret is vital since it forms the basis for actions.

A professional, impartial judgement (in professions such as doctors, lawyers and psychologists) builds upon the existence of a professional consensus on what is "a job well done”. Is it relevant to talk about professional judgement in the case of superintendents? If so – how and on what grounds is this judgement exercised? If not – what is there instead of such a judgement?

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