School Governance and Educational Leadership for Sustainable School Improvement: A Systematic Literature Review

This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) examines contemporary research on school governance and educational leadership for sustainable school improvement, focusing on studies published between 2024 and 2026. This review addresses the growing need for schools to strengthen governance, leadership capacity, accountability, inclusiveness, and long-term improvement. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, articles were retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science (WoS), and ERIC through advanced searching strategies. After the screening and eligibility process, 30 primary studies were selected for final analysis. The Quality Assessment (QA) revealed that 24 articles were classified as high quality, and six as moderate quality. The findings were organized into three major themes: (1) Collaborative and Inclusive Leadership for School Improvement, which highlights distributed leadership, stakeholder participation, family engagement, and inclusive culture; (2) Governance, Accountability and Evidence-Informed School Improvement, which focuses on policy alignment, school inspection, data use, research-informed decision-making, and accountability; and (3) Sustainable School Development, Resilience, and Leadership Capacity, which emphasizes professional learning, organizational resilience, digital transformation, leadership development, and continuous improvement. Overall, the review concludes that sustainable school improvement is strengthened when governance, collaborative leadership, evidence-informed practices, and leadership capacity work together. The findings suggest that schools need supportive governance structures, shared decision-making, professional trust, and adaptive leadership systems to sustain improvement over time.

School governance; Educational leadership; Sustainable school improvement; Collaborative Leadership, Evidence- Informed Decision-Making

1. Abouzahra, A., Sabraoui, A., & Afdel, K. (2020). Model composition in Model Driven Engineering: A systematic literature review. Information and Software Technology, 125(May), 106316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2020.106316 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Acton, K. S. (2021). School leaders as change agents: Do principals have the tools they need? Management in Education, 35(1), 43–51. https://doi.org/10.1177/0892020620927415 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Alexandrova, S., & Krasteva, V. (2026). Skills Ecosystem and the Role of School Management for Sustainable Development of Dual Education. Societies, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.3390/soc16010020 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Aquino, C. J., Afalla, B., & Fabelico, F. (2021). Managing educational institutions: School heads’ leadership practices and teachers’ performance. International Journal of Evaluation and Research in Education (IJERE). https://doi.org/10.11591/ijere.v10i4.21518 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Bashir, K., & Alam, G. M. (2024). Does distributed leadership fit the paradigm transformation of secondary school effectiveness in Nigeria? International Journal of Management in Education, 18(1), 70–90. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJMIE.2024.135181 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Batool, I., Arif, S., & Nadeem, M. (2021). Effectiveness of Leadership Role in Taking Accountability Measures for School Improvement in Punjab. 4, 493–504. https://doi.org/10.36902/sjesr-vol4-iss1-2021(493-504) [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Benoliel, P. (2021). A Team-Based Perspective for School Improvement: The Mediating Role of School Management Teams. Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, 14(2), 442–470. https://doi.org/10.1080/19345747.2020.1849481 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Bilbokaitė, R., Bilbokaitė-Skiauterienė, I., & Valuntinaitė, V. (2024). Implementing Inclusive Education: Experiences of School Leaders in Change Management. Specialusis Ugdymas, 47, 5–19. https://doi.org/10.15388/se.2024.47.1 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Bravo, J. R., & Ogaz, D. C. (2021). Changes in school leadership practices under an accountability system: The case of Chile. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 29. https://doi.org/10.14507/epaa.29.5673 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Bush, T., & Anania, A. M. (2023). Developing Instructional Leadership in Tanzania: Impact of a British Council Initiative. Research in Educational Administration and Leadership, 8(2), 296–333. https://doi.org/10.30828/real.1247119 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Campbell, P., & Sum, N. (2026). Leadership for learning: A policy analysis of the global education monitoring report 2024 and its local implications for school leadership. Management in Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/08920206261430580 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Chatzipanagiotou, P., & Katsarou, E. (2023). Crisis Management, School Leadership in Disruptive Times and the Recovery of Schools in the Post COVID-19 Era: A Systematic Literature Review. Education Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13020118 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Choi, S. (2023). Distributed Leadership Promotes Teacher Self-Efficacy in Multicultural Classrooms Through School Capacity Building: A Multilevel SEM Approach Using U.S. Teaching and Learning International Survey. Educational Administration Quarterly, 59(4), 811–844. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161X231189196 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Contreras, P., Santa Cruz, E., Assaél, J., Palma, E., Albornoz, N., Fernández, M. B., & Redondo, J. (2024). Re-contextualization of school quality assessment policies: an ethnography approach to SIMCE on Chilean disadvantaged schools. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 36(1), 31–52. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-023-09425-2 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Daly, B., Resnikoff, A., & Litke, S. (2025). Effective School Leadership for Supporting Students’ Mental Health: Findings from a Narrative Literature Review. Behavioral Sciences, 15. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15010036 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Daudi, F. (2025). The will to collaboration–shaping leaders for schools of the future. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research. https://doi.org/10.1080/00313831.2025.2516440 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Davis-Singaravelu, S., Sammons, P., Khan, S., & Matthews, A. (2026). Boundary-Spanning Beyond Widening Participation: Exploring Collaborative Leadership Practices in an English Schools–University Partnership. Education Sciences, 16(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16030356 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. DeMatthews, D., & Means-Parker, J. (2024). Inclusive Principal Leadership and Family Engagement: Strengthening Parent Participation in IEP Meetings and Beyond. Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 97(4), 87–96. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/00098655.2024.2373702 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Demeshkant, N., Schultheis, K., & Hiebl, P. (2022). School Sustainability and School Leadership during Crisis Remote Education: Polish and German Experience. Computers in the Schools, 39, 120–136. https://doi.org/10.1080/07380569.2022.2071221 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Farley-Ripple, E. N. (2024). The Use of Research in Schools: Principals’ Capacity and Contributions. Education Sciences, 14(6), 561. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14060561 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Gaol, N. T. L. (2021). School leadership in Indonesia: A systematic literature review. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 51, 831–848. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432211010811 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Ghamrawi, N. (2023). Toward agenda 2030 in education: policies and practices for effective school leadership. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 22, 325–347. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10671-023-09341-8 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Godfrey, D., Higham, R., & Mincu, M. (2026). School Leadership in the Anthropocene: Four Pillars of an Intelligent, Humane Response. Educational Forum, 90(1), 101–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131725.2025.2490934 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Godfrey, D., & Munoz-Chereau, B. (2024). School improvement and peer learning partnerships: building organizational resilience in primary schools in England. Frontier In Education, 8. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1339173 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Gómez‐hurtado, I., Valdés, R., González‐falcón, I., & Vargas, F. J. (2021). Inclusive leadership: Good managerial practices to address cultural diversity in schools. Social Inclusion, 9(4), 69–80. https://doi.org/10.17645/si.v9i4.4611 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. Hanafi, Y., Taufiq, A., Saefi, M., Ikhsan, M., Diyana, T., Thoriquttyas, T., & Anam, F. (2021). The new identity of Indonesian Islamic boarding schools in the “new normal”: the education leadership response to COVID-19. Heliyon, 7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06549 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Harder, A., & Schumann, S. (2025). Digital Transformation of Vocational Schools in Switzerland: The Importance of Innovative School Management Behavior. Education Sciences, 15(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15091099 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Hovardas, T., Vakkou, K., Arampatzi, K., Zacharia, Z., Tasiopoulou, E., Mavromanolakis, G., Liakopoulos, V., Koulouris, P., Sotiriou, S., Cherouvis, S., Stekić, K., Pires, C. V, Barella, P., Deely, M., Mentini, L., Chatzidaki, E., Giannakos, M., Tiemann, R., Horchemer, M., & Muscat, M. (2026). STE(A)M Learning Ecologies and creativity: A typology of open schooling projects based on stakeholder and learner engagement. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2025.102012 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Howley, A., Howley, C. B., & Dudek, M. (2025). An Instrument for Measuring the Improvement Work of Professional Learning Communities. Journal of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 9(1). https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/instrument-measuring-improvement-work/docview/3237400816/se-2?accountid=44242 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Hughes, J., & Davis, K. (2025). Enhancing primary school leadership through cultural intelligence and talent management: A case study approach. Educational Management Administration and Leadership. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432251404429 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Johnson, M. I., Snyder, K. M., & Sten, L. M. (2026). From compliance to responsiveness: the interplay of cultural and operational factors in developing schools as living systems. Frontier In Education, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1747477 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. Joo, Y. H., & Kim, J. (2024). Assessing Distributed Leadership Practice in Korea: An Exploratory Study on Scale Development. KEDI Journal of Educational Policy, 21(1), 3–27. https://doi.org/10.22804/kjep.2024.21.1.001 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. Karakose, T., Papadakis, S., Tülübaş, T., & Polat, H. (2022). Understanding the Intellectual Structure and Evolution of Distributed Leadership in Schools: A Science Mapping-Based Bibliometric Analysis. Sustainability (Switzerland), 14(24). https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416779 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. Karamanidou, M. (2026). Leading for a Sustainable Future: Sustainable Leadership in Cyprus Primary Schools. Education Sciences, 16(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16020177 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Kaso, N., Mariani, M., Ilham, D., Firman, F., Aswar, N., & Iksan, M. (2021). The Principal’s Leadership: How to Improve the Quality of Teaching and Learning Process in State Junior High School of Luwu. 8, 49–58. https://doi.org/10.26858/ja.v8i1.19126 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. Kitchenham, B. (2007). Guidelines for performing systematic literature reviews in software engineering. Technical Report, Ver. 2.3 EBSE Technical Report. EBSE. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

37. Kitchenham, B., & Charter, S. M. (2007). Guidelines for performing systematic literature reviews in software engineering. Technical Report, Ver. 2.3 EBSE Technical Report. EBSE, January 2007, 1–57. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

38. Lipscombe, K., Tindall-Ford, S., & Lamanna, J. (2021). School middle leadership: A systematic review. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 51, 270–288. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143220983328 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

39. Liu, S.-M., Huang, Y.-C., & Wang, R.-J. (2024). Challenges and Professional Support for Principals at Rural Schools for Sustainable Development. Sustainability (Switzerland), 16(21). https://doi.org/10.3390/su16219251 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

40. Lockwood, C., Munn, Z., & Porritt, K. (2015). Qualitative research synthesis: Methodological guidance for systematic reviewers utilizing meta-aggregation. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 13(3), 179–187. https://doi.org/10.1097/XEB.0000000000000062 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

41. López-López, M. C., Altopiedi, M., León-Guerrero, M. J., & Hernández-Castilla, R. (2024). Educational research and school practice: unraveling a complex relationship from the perspective of management teams. Educacion XX1, 27(2), 115–139. https://doi.org/10.5944/educxx1.36752 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

42. Lushaj, M., & Shatri, V. (2026). Contemporary leadership models and collaboration in primary schools: a mixed-methods study on school quality. Frontier In Education, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2026.1741935 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

43. Lynch, D., Peddell, L., McGuigan, H., Willis, R., Yeigh, T., & Marcoionni, T. (2024). School leader perception of control and professional learning decision-making influences. Professional Development in Education, 50(1), 129–143. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2023.2235595 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

44. Maqbool, S., Zafeer, H. M. I., Maqbool, S., Zeng, P., Draissi, Z., & Javed, S. (2024). Stance of numerous leadership styles and their effect on teaching to sustain academic performance at the high school level. Heliyon, 10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e36438 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

45. Meyer, A., & Richter, D. (2025). Longitudinal effects of a professional development program on principals’ leadership practices: results of a baseline latent change score model. Professional Development in Education, 51(7), 1278–1295. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2024.2413119 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

46. Mincu, M. (2022). Why is school leadership key to transforming education? Structural and cultural assumptions for quality education in diverse contexts. Prospects, 52, 231–242. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11125-022-09625-6 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

47. Mohapi, S. J., & Chombo, S. (2021). Governance collaboration in schools: the perceptions of principals, parents and educators in rural South Africa. Cogent Social Sciences, 7(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2021.1994723 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

48. Munoz-Chereau, B., & Ehren, M. (2024). Turning Around “Stuck” Schools In England: Effective Leadership In Extremely Challenging Circumstances. Perspectiva Educacional, 63(1), 148–173. https://doi.org/10.4151/07189729-Vol.63-Iss.1-Art.1523 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

49. O’Doherty, M., McNamara, G., Gardezi, S., & Brown, M. (2025). Does school inspection lead to school improvement? A case study. Educational Management Administration & Leadership. https://doi.org/10.1177/17411432251355386 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

50. O’Rourke, M., & O’Brien, S. (2026). Implementing distributed leadership in Irish voluntary secondary schools from the principals’ perspective. Irish Educational Studies, 45(1), 121–142. https://doi.org/10.1080/03323315.2024.2374304 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

51. Ogunbayo, S. B., & Yassim, K. (2025). Impact of Leadership Styles and School Culture on Educational Institutional Management: A Study of Selected Schools. International Journal of Educational Organization and Leadership, 32(2), 157–178. https://doi.org/10.18848/2329-1656/CGP/v32i02/157-178 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

52. Page, M. J., McKenzie, J. E., Bossuyt, P., Boutron, I., Hoffmann, T. C., Mulrow, C. D., Shamseer, L., Tetzlaff, J. M., Akl, E., Brennan, S. E., Chou, R., Glanville, J., Grimshaw, J. M., Hróbjartsson, A., Lalu, M. M., Li, T., Loder, E. W., Mayo-Wilson, E., McDonald, S., … Moher, D. (2021). The prisma 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews. Medicina Fluminensis, 57(4), 444–465. https://doi.org/10.21860/medflum2021_264903 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

53. Paletta, A. (2019). How do school leaders respond to the growing intrusiveness of accountability policies? Evidence from Italy. Journal of Educational Administration and History, 51(4), 381–401. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220620.2019.1607266 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

54. Pardosi, J., & Utari, T. I. (2022). Effective principal leadership behaviors to improve the teacher performance and the student achievement. F1000Research. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.51549.2 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

55. Priyambodo, P., & Hasanah, E. (2021). Strategic Planning in Increasing Quality of Education. 6, 109–126. https://doi.org/10.31538/ndh.v6i1.1138 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

56. Rojas-Bravo, J., Fromm, G., & Carrasco-Ogaz, D. (2024). School conditions and principal practices promoting instructional data use in high-stakes accountability systems. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2024.101399 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

57. Saltmarsh, J. E. (2024). How Communities of Practice Can Mitigate School Leader Burnout. Leadership and Policy in Schools. https://doi.org/10.1080/15700763.2024.2318646 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

58. Shanko, S. S., & Kabtyimer, M. T. (2024). Examining the status of school improvement program implementation in primary schools: a case study in South Ethiopia region. Frontiers in Education, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1394637 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

59. Shava, G., Heystek, J., & Chasara, T. (2021). Instructional Leadership: Its Role in Sustaining School Improvement in South African Schools. International Journal of Social Learning (IJSL). https://doi.org/10.47134/ijsl.v1i2.51 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

60. Supriadi, D., Usman, H., Jabar, A., & Widyastuti, I. (2021). Good School Governance: An Approach to Principal’s Decision-Making Quality in Indonesian Vocational School. Research in Educational Administration and Leadership, 6(4), 796–831. https://doi.org/10.30828/REAL/2021.4.2 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

61. Tian, M., & Huber, S. G. (2020). Mapping educational leadership, administration and management research 2007–2016: Thematic strands and the changing landscape. Journal of Educational Administration, 58(2), 129–150. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-12-2018-0234 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

62. Timan, A., Adha, M. A., Lesmana, I., Valdez, A. V, & Banowati, A. S. (2026). Green Digital School Management as Technology-Driven Strategies for Achieving Sustainable and Eco-Friendly School Governance. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, 1757 LNNS, 277–286. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-13203-1_26 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

63. Tri, N. Q., Huong, V. T. M., Hue, H. T. K., Chau, D. T. M., Nguyet, N. T. M., & Quy, T. T. (2025). Exploring Research on School-Based Management in the Scopus Database (1984–2023): A Bibliometric Analysis. European Journal of Education, 60(4). https://doi.org/10.1111/ejed.70359 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

64. Van Den Boom-Muilenburg, S. N., De Vries, S., Van Veen, K., Poortman, C., & Schildkamp, K. (2021). Understanding sustainable professional learning communities by considering school leaders’ interpretations and educational beliefs. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 27, 934–961. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2021.1937705 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

65. Verhelst, D., Vanhoof, J., & Van Petegem, P. (2021). School effectiveness for education for sustainable development (ESD): What characterizes an ESD-effective school organization? Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 51, 502–525. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143220985196 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

66. Wade, C. (2026). Engagement at a cost: rethinking gendered leadership and emotional labour in contemporary schooling. Discourse. https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2026.2632019 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

67. Zumpe, E., Uy, P. S., Hakouz, A., & Szczesiul, S. A. (2024). Developing mindsets for equity-focused continuous improvement: tracing shifts in an Ed.D. program using critical improvement science. Frontier In Education, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1426126 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Assessment of the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Repositioning TVET for Economic Development in Nigeria
• Teachers’ Use of Assure Model Instructional Design on Learners’ Problem Solving Efficacy in Secondary Schools in Bungoma County, Kenya
• “E-Booksan Ang Kaalaman”: Development, Validation, and Utilization of Electronic Book in Academic Performance of Grade 9 Students in Social Studies
• Analyzing EFL University Students’ Academic Speaking Skills Through Self-Recorded Video Presentation
• Major Findings of The Study on Total Quality Management in Teachers’ Education Institutions (TEIs) In Assam – An Evaluative Study