The Lack of an Effective Mechanism to Sanction Teachers With Low Performance as a Problem of the Educational System: The Perspective of School Management in Romania

The study investigates the perspectives of school management representatives concerning the need for effective mechanisms to reward high‐performing teachers or impose sanctions on those with low performance. Data collected in Romania through a cross‐sectional survey conducted in 2025 among more than 500 members of the teaching staff who occupied one of three positions, namely school principal, deputy principal, or member of a school's administrative board, were analysed using binary logistic regression. The findings reveal several statistically significant predictors associated with the category of school management representatives who support sanctions as motivating mechanisms for teachers. Within the analysed sample, seniority was associated with a lower likelihood of supporting sanctions as a means of improving performance. By contrast, principals and deputy principals were more likely than teachers serving on schools' administrative boards to favour such measures, whereas self‐assessed contemporary leadership preparedness also shaped these preferences. The professional environment was also significant, with support for sanctions being more likely in schools characterized by low teacher motivation, limited initiative and a larger teaching staff.