School Quality Enhancement in Secondary Education: Multi-Level School-Based Strategies and Insights That Contribute to Educational Improvement

Authors

  • Debeli Belina *

    Department of Educational Planning and Management, Jimma University, Jimma P.O. Box 378, Ethiopia
  • Abeya Geleta

    Department of Educational Planning and Management, Jimma University, Jimma P.O. Box 378, Ethiopia
  • Desalegn Beyene

    Department of Educational Planning and Management, Jimma University, Jimma P.O. Box 378, Ethiopia
  • Mebratu Tafesse

    Department of Educational Planning and Management, Jimma University, Jimma P.O. Box 378, Ethiopia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55121/jele.v2i1.874

Keywords:

Educational Inputs, Instructional Practices, School Improvement Strategies, School Leadership, School Quality

Abstract

Enhancing school quality requires a comprehensive and multifaceted approach that strengthens interconnected dimensions of the education system, ranging from resource allocation to instructional practices. This review synthesizes multi-level strategies in secondary education that contribute to improvement, emphasizing educational inputs, school-level processes, and classroom-centered practices. Drawing on evidence-based research and global best practices, the analysis highlights that in resource-constrained contexts, foundational investments such as adequate infrastructure, instructional materials, and qualified personnel are indispensable starting points. These investments establish the conditions necessary for effective teaching and learning. Community engagement further amplifies limited resources, promotes local ownership, strengthens accountability, and provides support structures that reinforce school effectiveness, ensuring that schools remain responsive to local needs. At the school level, strategic planning through improvement plans, continuous professional development, fostering a positive school climate, and effective leadership emerge as critical processes for sustained progress. Leadership that is collaborative and adaptive plays a central role in aligning resources with priorities and motivating staff. At the classroom level, key strategies include optimizing instructional time, expanding learning opportunities, and monitoring student progress to ensure equitable outcomes. These practices directly influence student achievement and help bridge gaps in learning. The review underscores that a holistic, context-sensitive approach integrating foundational inputs with process improvements at both the school and classroom levels is vital for sustainable and inclusive educational transformation. These insights provide practical guidance for policymakers, school leaders, and educators committed to fostering meaningful and lasting improvements in school quality and effectiveness.

Author Biographies

Abeya Geleta, <p>Department of Educational Planning and Management, Jimma University, Jimma P.O. Box 378, Ethiopia</p>

PhD Associate Prof  ,College of Education and Behavioral Science, Department of Educational Planning and Management  Jimma University

Desalegn Beyene, <p>Department of Educational Planning and Management, Jimma University, Jimma P.O. Box 378, Ethiopia</p>

PhD, Assistance Prof , College of Education and Behavioral Science, Department of Educational Planning and Management Jimma University

Mebratu Tafesse, <p>Department of Educational Planning and Management, Jimma University, Jimma P.O. Box 378, Ethiopia</p>

PhD, Assistance Prof, College of Education and Behavioral Science, Department of Educational Planning and Management Jimma University

References

[1] Fisher, D., Frey, N., 2007. Checking for Understanding: Formative Assessment Techniques for Your Classroom. ASCD: Alexandria, VA, USA.

[2] Ganimian, A.J., Murnane, R.J., 2014. Improving educational outcomes in developing countries: Lessons from rigorous impact evaluations. Review of Educational Research. 84(4), 845–881. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3386/w20284

[3] Hanushek, E.A., Woessmann, L., 2012. Schooling, Educational Achievement, and Economic Growth: A Review of the Evidence (NBER Working Paper No. 15928). National Bureau of Economic Research: Cambridge, MA, USA. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3386/w15928

[4] Meyers, C.V., VanGronigen, B.A., 2025. A systematic literature review on the development and implementation of school improvement plans (SIPs) around the world. Education Sciences. 15(12), 1708. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15121708

[5] Kilag, O.K.T., Sasan, J.M., 2023. Unpacking the role of instructional leadership in teacher professional development. Advanced Qualitative Research. 1(1). DOI: https://doi.org/10.31098/aqr.v1i1.1380

[6] UNESCO, 2017. Education for Sustainable Development Goals: Learning Objectives. UNESCO Publishing: Paris, France. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54675/CGBA9153

[7] Kyriakides, L., Creemers, B.P.M., Panayiotou, A., 2020. Developing and testing theories of educational effectiveness: Addressing the dynamic nature of education. In: Kyriakides, L., Creemers, B.P.M., Panayiotou, A. (Eds.). International Perspectives in Educational Effectiveness Research. Springer: Cham, Switzerland. pp. 33–69. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44810-3_3

[8] Global Education Monitoring Report Team, Seo, J., 2023. Digital transformation of education: The case of South Korea. In Background Paper Prepared for the 2023 Global Education Monitoring Report: Technology and Education, Southeast Asia. UNESCO: Paris, France. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54676/EWYN3601

[9] Reynolds, D., Kelly, A., Harris, A., et al., 2021. Extending educational effectiveness: A critical review of research approaches in international effectiveness research, and proposals to improve them. In: Hall, J., Lindorff, A., Sammons, P. (Eds.). International Perspectives in Educational Effectiveness Research Review. Springer: Cham, Switzerland. pp. 121–145. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44810-3_6

[10] Braun, V., Clarke, V., 2006. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology. 3(2), 77–101. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

[11] Belina, D., Geleta, A., Beyene, D., 2025. Enhancing school quality: Insights into infrastructure, financial practices, and community engagement in secondary schools of Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. 12, 1275. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-05118-x

[12] Sahlberg, P., 2011. Finnish Lessons: What Can the World Learn from Educational Change in Finland? Teachers College Press: New York, NY, USA.

[13] Glewwe, P., Siameh, C., Sun, B., et al., 2021. School resources and educational outcomes in developing countries. In: McCall, B.P. (Ed.). Routledge Handbook of the Economics of Education. Routledge: London, UK. pp. 35–52. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429202520-10

[14] Kisia, A., 2025. 9.9 million textbooks distributed across country—PS Belio. Available from: https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2025-01-06-99-million-textbooks-distributed-across-country-ps-belio (cited 6 October 2025).

[15] Yangambi, M., 2023. Impact of school infrastructures on students learning and performance: Case of three public schools in a developing country. Creative Education. 14(4), 788–809. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4236/ce.2023.144052

[16] Barrett, P., Zhang, Y., Moffat, J., et al., 2017. A holistic, multi-level analysis identifying the impact of classroom design on pupils' learning. Building and Environment. 59, 678–689. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2012.09.016

[17] Rice, J.K., Monk, D.H., Zhang, J., 2017. School finance: An overview. In Education Policy Studies Research Output. Penn State University: University Park, PA, USA. Available from: https://pure.psu.edu/en/publications/school-finance-an-overview

[18] Pijanowski, J.C., 2017. School finance as a moral dilemma. eJournal of Education Policy. Available from: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1169361.pdf

[19] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2020. Governance in Education: Transparency and accountability in School Finance. OECD Publishing: Paris, France.

[20] Creemers, B.P.M., Kyriakides, L., 2007. The Dynamics of Educational Effectiveness: A Contribution to Policy, Practice and Theory in Contemporary Schools. Routledge: London, UK. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203939185

[21] Psacharopoulos, G., 2006. The value of investment in education: Theory, evidence, and policy. Journal of Education Finance. 32(2), 113–136. Available from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ751791&utm_source

[22] McNamara, C., 2018. Field Guide to Nonprofit Strategic Planning and Facilitation, 4th ed. Authenticity Consulting, LLC: Minneapolis, MN, USA. Available from: https://www.authenticityconsulting.com/pubs/SP_gdes/SP_pubs.htm

[23] Day, C., Sammons, P., 2016. Successful School Leadership. Education Development Trust: London, UK.

[24] Larche, P., 2025. Strategic planning in educational management: A pathway to school success. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal. 29(1), 1–3.

[25] Hopkins, D., 2014. School Improvement for Real. Routledge: London, UK.

[26] Hanover Research, 2023. Best practices for school improvement planning. Available from: https://www.hanoverresearch.com/insights-blog/k-12-education/best-practices-in-school-improvement-planning/ (cited 6 October 2025).

[27] Shakman, K., Wogan, D., Rodriguez, S., et al., 2020. Continuous Improvement in Education: A Toolkit for Schools and Districts (REL 2021-014). U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences: Washington, DC, USA. Available from: https://ies.ed.gov/ies/2025/01/continuous-improvement-education-toolkit-schools-and-districts

[28] Park, S., Hironaka, S., Carver, P., et al., 2013. Continuous Improvement in Education. Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching: Stanford, CA, USA.

[29] Robinson, V.M.J., 2007. ACEL Monograph Series 41: School Leadership and Student Outcomes: Identifying What Works and Why. Gurr, D. (Ed.). Australian Council for Educational Leaders Inc.: Winmalee, Australia. Available from: https://www.pall.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/3-School-Leadership-and-Student-Outcomes_Professor-Vivianne-Robinson.pdf

[30] Guskey, T.R., 2010. Evaluating Professional Development. Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.

[31] Cohen, J., McCabe, L., Michelli, N.M., et al., 2009. School climate: Research, policy, practice, and teacher education. Teachers College Record. 111(1), 180–213.

[32] Schweig, J., Hamilton, L.S., Baker, G., et al., 2019. School and Classroom Climate Measures: Considerations for Use by State and Local Education Leaders. RAND Corporation: Santa Monica, CA, USA. DOI: https://doi.org/10.7249/RR4259

[33] Allensworth, E.M., Gwynne, J.A., Moore, P., et al., 2018. Looking Forward to High School and College: Middle Grade Indicators of Readiness in Chicago Public Schools. University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research: Chicago, IL, USA.

[34] Gonzalez Lillo, E.A., 2025. The power of peer feedback: Exploring how training teachers improve their assessment techniques. L1-Educational Studies in Language and Literature. 25(1), 1–25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21248/l1esll.2025.25.1.798

[35] Cano Garcia, E., 2024. Peer feedback for teaching professional development: Conditions for it to take effect. Cogent Education. 11(1), 2391577. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2391577

[36] Christle, C.A., Jolivette, K., Nelson, C.M., 2007. School characteristics related to high school dropout rates. Remedial and Special Education. 28(6), 325–339. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/07419325070280060201

[37] Thapa, A., Cohen, J., Guffey, S., et al., 2013. A review of school climate research. Review of Educational Research. 83(3), 357–385. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654313483907

[38] Barile, S., Polese, F., 2010. Smart service systems and viable service systems: Applying systems theory to service science. Service Science. 2(1–2), 21–40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1287/serv.2.1_2.21

[39] Castaneda, L., Varela, D.G., 2022. Understanding and achieving the purpose of professional development for teachers: A literature review. National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal. 40(4). Available from: https://www.nationalforum.com/Electronic%20Journal%20Volumes/Varela,%20Daniella%20Understanding%20Professional%20Development%20for%20Teachers%20NFEASJ%20V40%20N4%202022%20.pdf

[40] Cordingley, P., Higgins, S., Greany, T., et al., 2015. Developing Great Teaching: Lessons from the International Reviews into Effective Professional Development. Teacher Development Trust: London, UK.

[41] Worth, J., Van den Brande, J., 2020. Teacher Autonomy: How Does It Relate to Job Satisfaction and Retention? National Foundation for Educational Research: Slough, UK.

[42] Niehaus, E.K., O'Rourke, M.A., Ostick, D.T., 2012. Global leadership development plans: Engaging students as agents in their own development. Journal of Leadership Studies. 6(2), 116–122. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.21244

[43] Darling-Hammond, L., Hyler, M.E., Gardner, M., et al., 2017. Effective Teacher Professional Development. Learning Policy Institute: Palo Alto, CA, USA.

[44] Sashkin, M., Walberg, H.J. (Eds.), 1993. Educational Leadership and School Culture. McGraw-Hill Education: Berkeley, CA, USA. Available from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED367056&utm_source

[45] Jacobson, S.L., Day, C., Leithwood, K., et al., 2007. Successful school leadership: The Norwegian case. Journal of Educational Administration. 43(6), 584–594. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/09578230510625683

[46] Robinson, V.M.J., Hohepa, M., Lloyd, C., 2009. School Leadership and Student Outcomes: Identifying What Works and Why: Best Evidence Synthesis Iteration [BES]. Ministry of Education: Wellington, New Zealand. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/242493851_School_Leadership_and_Student_Outcomes_Identifying_What_Works_and_Why_Best_Evidence_Synthesis_Iteration_BES

[47] Richardson, L., 2024. The role of educational leadership in enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes. Academy of Educational Leadership Journal. 28(2), 4–48. Available from: https://www.abacademies.org/articles/the-role-of-educational-leadership-in-enhancing-student-engagement-and-learning-outcomes-17353.html

[48] Rivkin, S.G., Schiman, J.C., 2015. Instruction time, classroom quality, and academic achievement. The Economic Journal. 125(588), F425–F448.

[49] Onuka, A.O., Junaid, I.M., Junaid, I.O., 2008. Effective time management for teaching effectiveness. European Journal of Social Sciences. 5(4), 67–75.

[50] Gebhardt, M., Blumenthal, S., Scheer, D., et al., 2023. Editorial: Progress monitoring and data-based decision-making in inclusive schools. Frontiers in Education. 8, 1186326. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2023.1186326

[51] Scheerens, J., 2016. Educational Effectiveness and Ineffectiveness: A Critical Review of the Knowledge Base. Springer: Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

[52] Alexander, R.J., 2021. Dialogic Teaching and the Study of Classroom Talk: A Developmental Bibliography. Available from: https://robinalexander.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Alexander-dialogic-teaching-bibliography-Oct-2021.pdf (cited 6 October 2025).

[53] Cambridge University Press and Assessment, 2021. Is curriculum coherence a fundamental characteristic of high-performing education systems? Available from: https://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/blogs/curriculum-coherence/#:~:text=In%20the%20last%20two%20decades,curriculum%20coherence%20is%20considered%20vital (cited 6 October 2025).

[54] Thu, L.H., 2022. Students' attitudes towards teacher's use of Vietnamese in EFL classrooms at Vietnam National University Hanoi, International School. International Journal of TESOL & Education. 2(5), 20–33. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54855/ijte.22253

[55] Hanoi, T., 2019. The impact of co-curricular activities on student development. Journal of Education and Practice. 10(12), 45–52.

[56] Graham-Clay, S., 2023. Communicating with parents 2.0: Strategies for Teachers. School Community Journal. 34(1), 9–60. Available from: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1425334.pdf

[57] Epstein, J.L., 2018. School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools, 2nd ed. Routledge: New York, NY, USA. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429494673

Downloads

How to Cite

Belina, D., Geleta, A., Beyene, D., & Tafesse, M. (2026). School Quality Enhancement in Secondary Education: Multi-Level School-Based Strategies and Insights That Contribute to Educational Improvement. Journal of Education and Learning Environments, 2(1), 51–61. https://doi.org/10.55121/jele.v2i1.874

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 1 (June 2026): In Progress

Section

Review