School boards look set to keep their powers when the Government finally unveils its decisions on the way schools are run tomorrow. 

Education Minister Chris Hipkins is believed to have abandoned proposals by a taskforce last year to transfer all the legal powers of school boards to about 20 new regional "hubs".

The backdown will be a victory for 44 schools, including Auckland Grammar and Mt Albert Grammar, which formed a Community Schools Alliance to fight the proposals.

John Paul College principal Patrick Walsh, who was part of the alliance, told Mike Hosking New Zealand has an excellent education system that works for the majority of students.

"We didn't need a radical overhaul and imposition, one-size-fits-all that requires all schools to be governed by hubs."

He says he thinks there will still be hubs, but they'll voluntary opt-in instead.

"There are some schools which aren't performing very well so they do need targeted help around policy, finance, property, curriculum, etc."

But he says schools that are running well should be left alone to get on with it.