Abstract:

The study investigates how pre-schools and first-cycle schools (primary and lower secondary) articulate their pedagogical identity, particularly regarding inclusion, through the Three-Year Plan of the Educational Offer (Piano Triennale dell’Offerta Formativa – PTOF).

The main objectives of this study are:
1) to assess the degree of consistency between the diagnosis of needs, priorities derived from the Self-Evaluation Report (Rapporto di AutoValutazione – RAV), the design of educational pathways as outlined in the Improvement Plan (Piano di Miglioramento – PdM), and the school's inclusive actions, thereby determining the level of systemic integration of inclusive policies;
2) to identify recurring patterns, critical issues, and best practices in the inclusive planning of institutions.

In Italy, the PTOF is the fundamental document constituting the cultural and planning identity of schools. It outlines the curricular, extra-curricular, educational, and organizational planning that individual institutions adopt within their autonomy (art. 3, L.107/2015) and fulfills the reporting and transparency obligations of schools (D.P.R. 75/1999). Given its identity-shaping and culturally determined nature, the PTOF is an expression of school leadership (Menichetti, 2017) and governance, serving a dual function: external accountability (towards administration and families) and an internal "compass" for organizational development (Seitz et al., 2025). However, literature highlights a persistent difficulty in translating pedagogical orientations and strategic priorities into organic, systematically monitored inclusive practices. Thus, there is a need for a reflexive approach to promote awareness regarding the consistency and effectiveness of actions taken, both at the level of individual schools and through large-scale comparative analysis.

The research adopted a qualitative-comparative methodology based on systematic document analysis (Bowen, 2009) applied to the PTOFs of all "comprehensive" institutes (pre-schools, primary, lower secondary schools) in the province of Florence (N=67 PTOF, covering approximately 70,000 students). To address the research questions, a comparative analysis grid was used, structured around criteria of strategic consistency, intensity of inclusive action, and outcome evaluation methods.
The results show significant variability between schools, revealing different models of approach to inclusion. Some are more "compensatory" in nature, primarily oriented toward managing specific needs (e.g., certified disabilities), while others are more focused on a progressive transformation of policies and practices in relation to the entire community. The Improvement Plan is not always accompanied by explicit outcome indicators or structured monitoring systems, confirming findings from previous studies on the gap between planning and evaluation (Earl & Katz, 2006).

The management of school autonomy requires moving beyond a static or bureaucratic view of the PTOF in favor of a planning-oriented approach and a culture of accountability. From a research perspective, the adopted approach could be further developed by integrating document analysis with empirical and longitudinal data (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007) to deeper explore the relationship between process definition, inclusive practices, and educational outcomes.

Keywords:

School Development, Well-Being, Educational Success, Systemic Assessment, School Improvement.