Insider perspectives on merit selection: Investigating principals’ attitudes to selecting school leaders on the basis of merit

Despite the existence of a broad corpus of research literature pertaining to the merit selection of school principals, little is known about their perception of, and approach to, the inschool merit selection process they lead when assembling their senior and middle-level school leadership cadres. Further, given that scholars readily acknowledge the existence of a definitive link between educational leadership, school culture and enhanced student learning outcomes, quality governance at multiple levels within schools is paramount.

This study therefore investigated the extent to which principals in New South Wales Department of Education (NSWDE) schools adhered to the central tenets of meritocratic theory founded upon egalitarianism, objectivity, and fairness, when selecting senior and middle level school leaders – specifically deputy principals, assistant principals (primary schools) and headteachers (secondary schools). An extensive examination of research literature relating to several interrelated areas, namely – the principal’s understanding of the meritocratic ideal, their disposition to in-school merit selection processes, and the extent to which that selection practice accorded with meritocratic theory, revealed a paucity of research in those areas and the need for further empirical study.

A mixed methods strategy was utilised in this investigation to examine the disposition of NSWDE principals to the meritocratic ideal and the extent of its influence on their selection of school leaders. A three-phase research structure facilitated the generation of qualitative and quantitative data drawn from semi-structured interviews, an online survey, and analyses of published NSWDE teacher promotion statistics. Further, NVivo and SPSS data analysis software provided an empirical assessment of the degree to which the in-school merit selection practices of participant principals were guided by meritocratic values.

Findings revealed that the principals (and their panels) in this study found it difficult to exclude non-merit variables (e.g., age, gender, ethnicity, implicit bias, and the appeal of known, internal candidates) from their merit selection practices. Data also indicated high levels of subjectivity and the influence of implicit bias in their selection of senior and middle-level school leaders despite the notion of merit being embraced as one of the most enduring sociocultural tropes of our time.

Recommendations are made regarding further research possibilities, especially about the development of merit-selection training models designed to enhance principals’ levels of objectivity and bias awareness when undertaking the selection of school leaders. A thorough review of NSWDE documentation relating to the policies and practices of principal-led school leadership recruitment is also advocated.