In this article, we differentiate leadership in the dimensions of a directive, of a discursive or of a delegative leadership practice. This diff erentiation is the starting point of an explorative examination regarding the correlation between leadership dimensions and the use of performance feedback from state-wide tests (VERA 8). Bivariate correlation analyses based on a questionnaire survey with school leaders indicate that particular leadership dimensions correlate with a varied degree of use of performance feedback with different school representatives (e. g., department leaders, teachers). A “directive” or “discursive” leader can support the use of VERA, whereas a “delegative” leader can inhibit these processes.

Keywords
school leadership, leadership dimensions, New Educational Governance, state-wide tests, use of school performance feedback, Helmke’s cycle model (2004)