Abstract

This paper describes research into the development and characteristics of particular qualities of democratic school culture and democratic school management in primary schools. The research involved 651 teachers from the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County. Research involved a survey that used a questionnaire containing the Instrument for measuring characteristics of democratic school management and the Instrument for measuring the characteristics of democratic school culture. Overall, the results show that teachers perceive management in their schools as moderately democratic to very democratic. Rating the characteristics of school culture, teachers note the moderate development of both democratic and non-democratic characteristics of school culture; however, they more greatly consider their own school culture to possess democratic characteristics. Teachers at the beginning of their careers and those employed in schools whose current headmaster has been in his/her position less than five years perceive higher levels of democratic school management. Teachers employed in suburban or small schools perceive higher levels of characteristics of democratic school culture.