Traškevičius, Kęstutis

Educational network reorganization in the regions is becoming increasingly relevant as municipalities strive to adapt to declining student numbers and use public resources more efficiently. Marijampolė and Šakiai municipalities in Lithuania are undertaking ambitious reorganizations of their educational networks, including both school and preschool institution reforms. In the context of political decision-making, it is crucial to understand the criteria guiding local authorities in carrying out reforms and the social and institutional impacts they foresee. The aim of this study is to investigate the principles political decision-makers follow when reorganizing the educational network, the strategies they use to manage resistance, and how they assess the long-term impacts of reforms. The study applies document analysis (municipal council decisions, reorganization documents), secondary statistical data analysis (student numbers, financial indicators, staff structure), and qualitative interviews with municipal leaders. The analysis is based on a public policy implementation evaluation model, encompassing dimensions such as effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability, and equity. Results reveal that political leaders often need to balance economic arguments with social consequences. One of the biggest challenges is community resistance, teachers’ adaptation difficulties, and maintaining education quality in declining regions. The findings show that political decisions often balance between the need to save funds and the desire to preserve social cohesion in communities. Leaders identify the most frequent challenges as strong community resistance, teachers’ fears about job security, and difficulties in maintaining service quality in remote areas. Politicians emphasize that success depends on transparent communication, data-driven decision-making, and a long-term strategic vision. The study’s findings may be useful for developing strategies that reconcile financial sustainability with social responsibility, aiming for long-term and socially sensitive outcomes in educational reforms.

Educational network reorganizations in Lithuania, particularly in regional municipalities, have become necessary due to declining student numbers, migration trends, and the need to optimize public resources. Nevertheless, such reforms raise serious questions regarding social justice and equal access to educational services in different territories. This issue is particularly relevant in areas with decreasing population density, growing proportions of socially at-risk groups, and declining availability of public transportation and other services. The aim of this study is to comprehensively evaluate the challenges of social justice and educational accessibility during the reorganization of the educational network, based on secondary quantitative data analysis. The study used various statistical and administrative data collected from the Ministry of Education, Science, and Sport, the Lithuanian Department of Statistics, regional municipal administrations, and other public institutions. Analyzed indicators include dynamics of student numbers, changes in the structure of educational networks, travel distances to the nearest educational institutions, distribution of teachers and other staff, socio-economic indicators, and population density in different territories. Methodologically, the study involves descriptive statistics, correlation and regression analyses, as well as territorial analysis using geographic information system (GIS) data. This allows identifying which municipalities and localities are most affected by network reorganization in terms of social justice and accessibility. The research data revealed that in regions with low student density and a high number of socially at-risk residents, reorganization often results in decreased service accessibility, longer travel times to educational institutions, and narrower educational service offerings. Meanwhile, in urban centers, the impact of reorganization often manifests in less significant changes, as more alternatives and infrastructural capacities remain available. The study emphasizes that the success of educational network reorganizations depends not only on financial efficiency or infrastructural solutions but also on creating socially just policies. Ensuring social justice requires data-driven planning and sensitivity to territorial and social specifics. It is essential to consider regional differences during reforms to prevent network reorganization from becoming an additional factor deepening social exclusion. These research results provide practical insights for both national policymakers and municipal administrations to develop solutions that combine financial efficiency with social justice and ensure equal educational opportunities for all children, regardless of their place of residence.

The restructuring of educational institution networks often leads to significant organizational changes that directly impact employees’ professional well-being and their sense of belonging to the organization. In the studied Lithuanian municipality, a preschool education reform was implemented, merging ten independent kindergartens into one centralized institution to optimize resources and ensure higher quality of education. However, such structural reforms pose challenges for employees’ identity, motivation, and emotional well-being. The aim of this study is to explore how employees perceive the culture of the new organization after reorganization and whether a sense of identity from the previous divisions persists. The study seeks to identify connections between maintaining identity, sense of belonging, community spirit, and employees’ motivation and emotional well-being. A multi-level methodology is applied: document analysis (municipal decisions, reorganization plans, internal institutional documents), secondary statistical data analysis (staff turnover, demographic data, organizational structure), and a quantitative employee survey. The survey questions focus on the clarity of organizational values, opportunities to participate in decision-making, the level of interdepartmental collaboration, and emotional attachment to the organization. Initial results show that employees experience changes differently: some feel more integrated into the new organization, while others still strongly identify with their former divisions. It was observed that employees who lost their sense of previous division identity are more likely to experience emotional stress and decreased job satisfaction. The study’s findings highlight the importance of addressing not only structural and financial aspects during reorganizations but also the “soft” dimensions of the organization, such as culture and employees’ emotional well-being. This becomes crucial for ensuring successful implementation of reorganization and long-term staff engagement.

Centralization reforms in the education sector aim to ensure consistent service quality and more efficient use of resources. In the studied Lithuanian municipality, ten separate preschool institutions were merged into one centralized kindergarten, seeking to establish unified professional standards and improve educational quality. However, such changes raise questions about how the newly implemented reforms are perceived in employees’ daily practice. The aim of this study is to reveal how, under conditions of centralization, employees perceive the clarity of educational quality principles, the application of professional standards, and the role of feedback in their professional development. The study uses a mixed methodology: document analysis (reorganization plans, internal regulations, quality assessment documents), secondary statistical data analysis (indicators of staff distribution, workload, service volume), and an employee survey. In the survey, employees evaluated the clarity of educational quality standards, the uniformity of their application, the effectiveness of feedback, and their participation in shaping professional decisions. Preliminary data analysis revealed that some employees view the impact of centralization positively, particularly clearer standards and the sharing of common methodological experience. However, challenges remain in the practical implementation of professional standards and in establishing a unified understanding of educational quality throughout the institution. There is a noted need to involve employees more actively in creating professional standards and to transform feedback into a tool for development rather than control. The study provides practical insights into how education leaders can manage quality assurance processes during large-scale organizational transformations.