Bustami Usman, Asnawi Muslem, Edi Nur, Saiful, Melor Md Yunus
The strategic performance of the principal determines the success of a school because his leadership can determine the quality of the graduates produced by the school. This research was conducted to gain the strategic management of performance improvement using School-Based Management (SBM) at high schools of Aceh, Indonesia. It used a qualitative descriptive method. The data were collected through interviews, classroom observations and study of documents. The subjects of the study consisted of a head of Educational Office of Pidie Jaya District, three principals of senior high schools, and three supervisors of the schools. The collected data were analyzed by using descriptive qualitative in nature. The results showed that the principals together with the teachers and other stakeholders prepared yearly and five-yearly plans and programs to provide focus for the teaching-learning process and for other school activities. In the implementation of SBM for better performance in the school, the principals found three factors which greatly affected the successful performances of the school; the performance of the teachers, the physical conditions in the school and public participation in the management of education at the school. In addition, the difficulties which the principals face in implementing SBM are conditions in their schools that are related to the availability of funding for school improvement and for rewarding teachers. SBM practices can improve the performance of the principals, the teachers and the quality of school facilities so that students can learn better and gain more satisfactory results.