This study conducts a comparative analysis of the processes and institutional structures underlying the development of school textbooks in ten selected countries—Iran, Finland, Sweden, Japan, South Korea, France, the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, and Singapore—based on Brady’s four-stage model and centered on sixteen key indicators (eight process-related and eight institutional). Employing a comparative document analysis method, the research population encompasses the systems of textbook production and governance in these countries, with purposive sampling applied. Data were collected through the examination of reports, educational policies, and prior studies, and analyzed via content analysis across four comparative analytical tables. Findings reveal that, in terms of process indicators, Finland, Sweden, and Australia have fostered dynamic and innovative textbook development through decentralization, broad teacher participation, and continuous feedback. In contrast, Iran, South Korea, France, and to some extent Singapore, constrained by centralized state control and weak feedback cycles, face slow updates and limited innovation. Japan, the United States, and the United Kingdom, through hybrid models, localized content, and multilayered evaluation, achieve a relative balance between coherence and innovation. Regarding institutional indicators, Iran and France, with vertically structured state systems, demonstrate less flexibility, whereas Finland, Sweden, and the United States, by strengthening independent institutions and the private sector, exhibit greater diversity and dynamism. The study underscores the importance of decentralization, teacher participation, and institutional diversity in enhancing the quality and innovation of school textbooks.