This paper reviews the current theories on educational changes, specifically the role of educational establishments as basic units of educational action and improvement. It accounts for the ground covered in search of this improvement: from external centralized policies that make school into a strategic unit to, in the past decade, highlighting the increase in student learning as a privileged topic. Based on the lessons learned, a new paradigm of educational policy and innovation argues for a balance between the external pressures that stimulate improvement and the necessary school autonomy, where the learning of all of the students becomes the focus of changes. Bearing this in mind, we look into curricular and organizational changes or supports for educational policies that can promote such changes.
School improvement; Educational policies; Educational establishments; Powerful teaching and learning
