This article reports on an empirical study, which gives an overview of design, course of action and results of external consultation processes in school development for the first time (concerning North Rhine-Westphalia). It deals with the question of significance that is assigned to the management consultants – and their concrete working methods which oscillate in the tension between process and expert consultation respectively. Besides, it determines how the work of management consultants is assessed by school administrations, functionaries and “ordinary” teachers afterwards.

Keywords
consultation, school development, empirical study