The Complex Landscape of School Principal Appointment in the Israeli Arab Education System

This paper examines the complex process of school principal appointments in Israel with a specific focus on the Arab education sector. School Principal appointments are governed by a legal framework, however, the process varies between state-owned and local council-owned schools. In the case of Arab local councils, "Hamula" (clan) politics frequently dictate principal appointments and has consequences on trasperancy, teachers’ motivation and students’ performance. Further research is needed to investigate the extent of this phenomenon and explore means to ensure appointments are based primarily on professional qualifications.