Abstract

The

descriptive-exploratory

study

investigates

the

strategic

management practices of small-size primary schools and their effects on the

school development programs. Specifically, the study assesses the extent of
implementation of strategic management practices in terms of 1) Setting of
goals and educational objectives; 2) Planning of school development
programs; 3) Implementation of programs and action plans; 4) Evaluation of
school performance; and 5) Institutionalization of continuous improvement.
This will be correlated with the data on the extent of accomplishment of the
school development programs in terms of administrative management,
academic management, human resources management and development,
financial management, and school facilities management to investigate if
there is a significant difference between these two factors.
One hundred twenty-five (125) teachers and twenty-five (25) directors
in the primary schools in Lopburi Province in Thailand were used as
respondents of the study.
Study results show that among the strategic management practices
being implemented, the planning of school development programs and the
institutionalization of continuous improvement are extensively implemented
in the small-size primary schools. On the other hand, the setting of goals and
educational objectives, implementation of programs and action plans, and
the evaluation of school performance were only moderately implemented.

Moreover, study results further show that there were no significant

differences on the extent of implementation of strategic management
practices between the directors and teachers, except for the implementation
of programs and action plan, where the mean of the directors is higher than
that of the teachers.
There is significant relationship between the extent of implementation
of the strategic management practices, and the extent of accomplishment in
school development programs at .01 level. However, it is shown that they
are positive correlations in moderate levels. The highest correlation are on
the implementation of programs and school facility management,, and
academic management.
An Enhancement Program for Educational Management Practices was
created to address to the identified problem areas.