Förskolerektorers reflektioner kring förutsättningar och stöd för skolutvecklingsuppdraget

Sammanfattning: Abstract As written in the pre-school's governing documents, principals are responsible for the work with school development and systematic quality work in the organization. In previous studies and in reports from the Swedish National Agency for Education, criticism has been given regarding, among other things, the lack of prerequisites and support for principals in carrying out school development. This study has sought knowledge on preschool principals' experiences and reflections of working conditions and subsequent support for the developmental part of their work docket, as well as which support structures principals believe should facilitate the work geared towards school development. This study reveals that principals, due to a relatively widespread lack of understanding of the pre-school's mission, confirm a lack of suitable conditions and support for their work. The need for increased resources both to educate uneducated staff and to create opportunity for school development and systematic quality work is analysed. The study also mentions the impact of school culture on and that of conditions concerning school development. In accordance with Abbott's profession theory, signs are shown in the principals' experiences that increased governance and control of professions can lead to de-professionalization and that competition for jurisdiction (the field with exclusive tasks linked to a profession) can lead to a change in the status of an entire professional group. A strong and clear profession with autonomy and control over its tasks and jurisdiction can, through these distinguishing characteristics, exclude competing professions or groups fighting for the same tasks.