How does school organizational democracy influence school development: a moderated mediation model of organizational citizenship behavior and job satisfaction

Abstract Democracy is a core feature of modern governance, yet the mechanisms through which organizational democracy drives school development within school settings remain under-explored. This study aims to examine the relationship between school organizational democracy and school development, with organizational citizenship behavior as a mediator and job satisfaction as a moderator. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and SPSS 27.0 was used to analyze survey data from 583 teachers in Beijing, China. The results showed that school organizational democracy is positively related to school development, organizational citizenship behavior plays a mediating role in this relationship, and job satisfaction acts as a moderating role. These findings provide a theoretical basis for understanding how school organizational democracy shapes school development through teachers’ behavioral and attitudinal factors. Practically, the study offers targeted implications for school managers and teachers. School managers should foster a supportive democratic climate and promote teachers’ active participation. Teachers are encouraged to actively participate in school governance, collaborate with colleagues, and contribute to cultivating a more democratic school environment.