MAINTAINING INSTRUCTIONAL QUALITY AT SCALE IN MULTI-CAMPUS SCHOOL NETWORKS: STANDARDIZATION, LOCAL AUTONOMY, AND OPERATIONAL CONTROL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21701534Keywords:
instructional quality; multi-campus networks; standardization; local autonomy; operational control; governance; UAE education; structural equation modeling; teacher efficacyAbstract
This study investigates the interplay among standardization, local autonomy, and operational control as determinants of instructional quality across multi-campus private school networks operating in a rapidly evolving, high-stakes educational environment. Drawing on a mixed-methods design that integrates survey-based quantitative data from 312 educators and school leaders across 24 campuses with qualitative insights from structured interviews and classroom observation protocols, the research identifies governance configurations that best sustain instructional coherence without suppressing campus-level pedagogical responsiveness. Findings reveal that hybrid governance models characterized by centralized curriculum frameworks paired with delegated instructional autonomy yield significantly higher Instructional Quality Index (IQI) scores (M = 82.4, SD = 6.3) compared to fully centralized or fully decentralized configurations. Operational Control Scores (OCS) exhibit meaningful regional variation, with metropolitan clusters outperforming semi-urban campuses in alignment consistency. Structural Equation Modeling confirms that standardization has a significant positive direct effect on IQI (? = 0.61, p < .001), mediated partially by teacher self-efficacy and partially by administrative responsiveness. These findings have direct implications for school network administrators, policymakers, and curriculum designers committed to scaling instructional quality without sacrificing campus identity or teacher agency.
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