<b>Schools´ external evaluation program in Portugal: An analysis focused on the satisfaction of leaders and managers

Abstract

Primary and secondary public schools in Portugal are externally evaluated under the responsibility of the General Inspection of Education and Science (IGEC), starting from 2006. Since eight years after the initial experience has passed, current paper provides the degree of satisfaction with the external evaluation program of school leaders and managers with regard to the reference used, the process followed and the report sent to the schools. Data were collected by a questionnaire survey applied to 372 leaders and school managers: top managers (23 directors, 47 members of school management) and middle managers (90 coordinators of curriculum department and 212 class directors) from 25 schools in northern Portugal. Overall, the results show a higher rate of satisfaction of top managers compared to that by middle managers. With regard to the dimensions in analysis (Reference, Process and Report), it has been observed that the overall percentage of agreement lies between 53.40% (Reference), 69.10% (Report) and 81% (Process), revealing a positive positioning of respondents regarding to the External School Evaluation Program (PAEE).