Social Reporting and School Accountability. A Critical Analysis of the First Experiences in Italy

Abstract

Within the framework of the international reform process in the public sector, a fundamental and complex
intervention area involves the transformation of educational systems within the institutional set-up, which
is taking place in several countries through the attribution of increased levels of school autonomy.
The ongoing studies on the evolution of the public sector have highlighted the shift from government rationale,
based on the centralisation and the hierarchical control of the public supply of services to the citizen,
to the most recent paradigms of governance, such as public governance and network management.
The last ones see a successful model in the network set-up, in its promoting the development of relations
which are not only competitive (Bastia, 1989).
With reference to the paradigm mission-governance-accountability (Matacena, 2002), social reporting
has been reported (Paletta&Vidoni, 2006) to possibly come to play an essential role in assuring consistency
between the definition of contents in terms of school responsibility (the mission), the indication of
management bodies which are accountable to stakeholders (the governance) and the choice of mechanisms
for the application of said responsibility (accountability).
Having said so, the present paper, adopting the economic-business approach, integrated with the main
trends of international research on management and leadership in educational systems, intends presenting
a few remarks concerning aims, contents and methodologies for the drafting of social reporting in
schools.
In particular, our task here consists in providing an answer to the following research questions: How can
social reporting be a suitable tool for describing school social responsibility? Which problems have
emerged in schools following the application of standards for social reporting and the Directive of the
Minister of Social Service on social auditing in public administrations? Which methodology approach
may result effective with respect to the outlined goals assigned to social reporting in schools?
For this aim, the theoretical analysis will be supported by the study of two examples of social reporting
carried-out in two schools, I.S.I.S.S. “Maironi da Ponte” from Presezzo (Bg) and Liceo Ginnasio Statale
“G.B.Brocchi” from Bassano del Grappa (Vi) will be presented, which are quite prominent for their pilot
and methodology application.