Finland's education system is regarded as one of the most effective in the world. Shared values of the Finnish welfare society continue to influence national education policies that determine how education is organized, governed, and led. Findings from a national study of the superintendency, however, suggest recent demographic and financial changes as well as ideologically driven legislative reforms are radically changing provision of education, stimulating mergers, altering organizational and governance patterns, and changing superintendents' work. National policies are redefining the role of the superintendent from being a bureaucratic functionary to a member of an executive management team.