Intercorrelation among Administrators’ Governance and Leadership Practices in School Performance: Basis for A Localized Leadership Enhancement Model

Intercorrelation among Administrators’ Governance and Leadership Practices in School Performance: Basis for A Localized Leadership Enhancement Model

Martin S. Hernandez

Eulogio ” Amang” Rodriquez Institute of Science and Technology, Philippines

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.9010267

Received: 15 January 2025; Accepted: 19 January 2025; Published: 17 February 2025

RATIONALE OF THE STUDY

School administrators are viewed as the most trusted and accountable people in managing the school, particularly in the public- school setting. Their practices, both seen and unseen, greatly impact the school organization and its performance. At that, administrators’ governance and leadership practices can be manifested in various facets, such as but not limited to, upholding the norms of public servants, laying the foundation of productive partnership with stakeholders, utilizing resources effectively, establishing a school environment that assures academic and behavioral development of the students, teachers and other members of the school community, taking an active part in the teaching-learning process, and scaling up research-enabled best practices, among others. All of these hold their groundwork on the vision, mission, and goals of the Department of Education along with the tenets of TEA Governance and the Philippine Professional Standard for School Heads.

In this context, the researcher deemed it necessary to look into how school administrators determine the need for continuous improvement in the active practice of good governance utilizing transparent, ethical, and accountable leadership in achieving successful school management. Likewise, the researcher deemed to investigate whether the school performance and administrators’ governance and leadership practices of school heads are significantly related which was the basis of a Localized Leadership Enhancement Model for the Division of Batangas Province.

Theoretical Framework

This study was anchored on Maciariello (2019) Drucker’s Theory on Effective Executive. This theory focuses on the idea that executive leadership is concerned with creating organizations that have a high spirit of performance; one that is led by executives who are committed to doing the right thing and getting the right things done. It is believed that such could be attained by leaders through displaying high levels of moral and ethical integrity in their actions, focusing on results, empowering employees, advocating change, going beyond financial obligations to shareholders, and ultimately serving the common good.

Additionally, executive integrity is essential to developing an organization with a high spirit of performance because the character of an organization’s leader sets an example for subordinates. Since their actions and behaviors are quite evident, they lead by example through their acts and conduct.

A further tenet of the ideology is that public servants such as school heads, teachers, and elected officials, carry out their duties and responsibilities with utmost devotion and dedication, provide fair services, behave justly and with sincerity, and refrain from discriminating against anyone. This viewpoint also holds that public servants perform their tasks with the highest attention to the needs of the people and the country, particularly those of 21^st-century learners and community members.

In line with the conduct of this study, Drucker’s Theory on Effective Executive outlines how an effective leader carries out his duties and responsibilities with a strong commitment to morality and ethical integrity just as how the TEA governance advocates for effective leadership and good governance. It also supports the premise that school leaders can uphold the ideals of openness, ethics, and accountability through effective TEA Governance, while also providing quality services, performing in a fair and just manner, adhering to democratic norms, and upholding democratic ideals.

 This research was also anchored from the Regional Memorandum No.14005 s. 2014, Region IV-A CALABARZON, which mandated the use of Scouters Rock to strengthen the efficiency of the delivery of services with honesty and integrity. In support of this research, the variables used in TEA governance of school administrators were adopted in scouters rock standards.

This research is further anchored on Campos (2020) Transformational Leadership Theory. This theory focuses on that kind of leadership practice where a leader works with followers to identify the changes needed, create a vision through inspiration, and execute the change with a group of highly committed followers.

His theory of action aims to improve the followers’ performance and developing their potential maximally involves developing and enacting a shared vision and mission and core values that focused on the progress and success of the entire organization.

In support of this research, transformational leadership theory best explains how school heads carry out their duties and responsibilities in leading strategically, managing school operations and resources, focusing on teaching and learning, developing self and others, and building connections to various stakeholders to realize the schools’ vision and mission. The theory also reinforces the idea that enhancing the leadership practices of school heads could improve school performance.

This study was also anchored from DepEd Order N.24, s. 2020 (National Adoption and Implementation of the Philippines Professional Standards for School Heads-PPSSH), a policy that lays out clear expectations of school administrators along well-defined career stages of professional development. In this study, all variables were lifted from the domains in leadership practices of school administrators adopted in PPSSH.

Thus, this research lends credence to the notion that school heads could improve job effectiveness by honing their leadership and governance skills. As a result, it requires a localized leadership enhancement model that is responsive to providing stakeholders with real-world learning opportunities that will support their professional development.

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

This study utilized the System Approach using the Input-Process-Output (IPO) model in the conduct of the study as shown in Figure 1 on the next page.

The Input includes references such as books, journals/periodicals, theses and dissertations, and online sources; survey results as to the assessment of administrators’ governance; leadership practices of school administrators; suitability, acceptability, and feasibility of the localized leadership enhancement model; school performance for the last two years;  and the respondents of the study.

The Process consists of gathering data through a survey

Figure 1. Conceptual framework of the study questionnaire as to the assessment of the Administrator’s Governance in terms of transparent, ethical, and accountable governance; leadership practices; and suitability, acceptability, and feasibility of the Localized Leadership Enhancement Model; documentary analysis, statistical treatment of data, and analysis and interpretation of data.

The Output of the study is the Localized Leadership Enhancement Model.

Statement of the Problem

The study aimed to assess the intercorrelation among administrators’ governance and leadership practices in school performance in public senior high schools in the Division of Batangas Province as the basis for a Localized Leadership Enhancement Model.

Specifically, it sought answers to the following sub-problems:

How do the school administrators, subject coordinators/master teachers, and teachers assess the administrators’ governance in terms of:

Transparent;

1. Ethical; and
2. Accountable Governance?

How do the school administrators, subject coordinators/master teachers, and teachers assess the leadership practices in terms of:

1. Leading Strategically;
2. Managing School Operations and Resources;
3. Focusing on Teaching and Learning;
4. Developing Self and Others; and
5. Building Connections?

Is there a significant difference among the assessments of three groups of respondents as to the following:

1. Administrators’ Governance; and
2. Leadership Practices?

What are the school performances for the last two years?

Is there a significant relationship among:

1. School Performance and Administrators’ Governance;
2. School Performance and Leadership Practices; and
3. Leadership Practices and Administrator’s Governance?

Based on the findings, what intervention plan may be proposed?

How suitable, acceptable, and feasible is the proposed Localized Leadership Enhancement Model?

RESEARCH METHODS USED

The study used the descriptive design of research in the investigation of administrators’ governance and leadership practices in the Schools Division of Batangas Province which served as the basis for the development of a proposed leadership model. Specifically, this study employed a descriptive survey, descriptive comparative, and descriptive correlational method of research.

Research Locale

The study was conducted among Senior High Schools in the Schools Division of Batangas Province.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of the study were 60 school administrators, 53 subject coordinators/ master teachers, and 311 teachers, gaining a total of 424 respondents from the public senior high schools in the Division of Batangas Province.

Sampling Procedure

The study used purposive sampling using pre-determined criteria. In the selection of the school administrators, they should be full-fledged school administrators in Senior High School and a passer of the National Qualifying Exam for School Heads (NQESH). These include Assistant Principal II and Principal I, II, III, and IV. As to the selection of the master teachers/subject coordinators, they must be a holder of current positions as Master Teachers I, and II and designated as subject coordinators of their respective schools. This is to ensure that they have sufficient knowledge of the assessment of the school administrators’ governance and leadership practices in the Division of Batangas Province. As to the selection of the teacher-respondents, they must have a Plantilla position of Teacher I, II, or III.  The respondents who were selected based on the given criteria are deemed to have sufficient knowledge about the administrators’ governance and leadership practices in the Schools Division of Batangas Province. Also, the respondents who were chosen to participate in this study are those who have been administering and teaching in Senior High Schools to ensure that the results derived from this research are valid and reliable.

On the other hand, the study considered the use of Slovin’s formula in determining the sample size of teachers which was fairly and validly considered from the respondents’ population.

Research Instrument

The researcher-made instrument used in this study was a survey questionnaire composed of four parts. The first part was the demographic profile of the respondents such as age, sex, civil status, educational attainment, and number of years in service. The second part was the assessment of the administrators’ governance in terms of transparency, ethical and accountable governance. The third part was the assessment of the leadership practices in terms of leading strategically, managing school operations and resources, focusing on teaching and learning, developing self and others, and building connections. And the last part was the assessment of the suitability, acceptability, and feasibility of the Localized Leadership Enhancement Model.  

Statistical Tools Used

The following statistical tools are used in the treatment of data:

Percentage. This was used to determine the percentage distribution of the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of age, sex, civil status, educational attainment, and number of years in service.

Weighted Arithmetic Mean (WAM). It is commonly used as the single value typical of a set of data. For a system of particles having unequal masses, the center of gravity is determined by a more general average, the weighted arithmetic mean.  This was used to answer sub-problems no.1, 2, and 7.

Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). This was used to find out if the survey or experiment results are significant. It is a collection of statistical models and their associated estimation procedures used to analyze the differences among means.

Pearson Moment-Product Coefficient of Correlation. It measures the statistical relationship, or association, between two continuous variables. It gives information about the magnitude of the association, or correlation, as well as the direction of the relationship. This was used to answer sub-problem no.5

t-test for significance of the coefficient of correlation. This was used to identify significant relationships between school performance and administrators’ governance and leadership practices.

SUMMARY

The following are the salient findings of the study:

On the assessment of the Administrators’ Governance in the Schools Division of Batangas Province

The Administrators’ Governance was rated Very Good in the Schools Division of Batangas Province as shown by the grand mean of 4.18.

On the assessment of the Leadership Practices in the Schools Division of Batangas Province

The leadership practices of school administrators were highly practiced as manifested by a grand mean of 4.21.

On the comparison of assessments on Administrators’ Governance and Leadership Practices

The assessment of the school administrators, subject coordinators/master teachers, and teachers on the administrators’ governance resulted in the F values of 1.734 for transparent governance, 3.066 for ethical governance, and 1.094 for accountable governance. These values all fell below the critical values of 3.190, 3.150, and 3.158 at 0.05 level of significance and verbally interpreted not significant leading to the acceptance of the null hypothesis that there is no significant difference in the assessments of the respondents on the administrators’ governance.

Meanwhile, the assessment of the school administrators, subject coordinators/master teachers, and teachers on the leadership practices resulted in the F values of 2.734 for Leading Strategically, 3.057 for Managing School Operations and Resources, 3.128 for Focusing on Teaching and Learning, 3.195 for Developing Self and Others, and 2.800 for Building Connection fell below the critical value of 3.316 at five degrees of freedom and verbally interpreted as not significant, and failing to reject the null hypothesis that there is no significant difference on the assessments of the three groups of respondents on the leadership practices imposed by the school administrators as to Leading Strategically, Managing School Operations and Resources, Focusing on Teaching and Learning, Developing Self and Others, and Building Connections, respectively.

On the assessment of the School Performance for the last two years

The school performance of the Senior High School in the Division of Batangas Province was “Best” as supported by the overall rating of 2.82.

On the comparison of assessments as to the relationship among School Performance and Administrators’ governance and Leadership Practices

Transparent, and accountable governance of the school administrators has a moderate correlation with the school performance as shown by the obtained rho values of 0.41 and 0.40, while ethical governance has a low correlation with the school performance having a rho value of 0.37, respectively.

Testing for the significance of these results yielded t values of 1.907 for transparent governance, 1.690 for ethical governance, and 1.852 for accountable governance which fell below the critical value of 2.101 at 0.05 level of significance and verbally interpreted as not significant failing to reject the null hypothesis that there is no significant relationship between the administrators’ governance and the school performance.

On the correlation between school performance and leadership practices, leading strategically is very highly correlated with school performance; managing school operations and resources has a high correlation; building connections has a moderate correlation; focusing on teaching and learning, and developing self and others have low correlations with school performance as depicted by the obtained rho values of 0.98, 0.79, 0.40, 0.39, and 0.35, respectively.

Determining the significance of these numbers yielded t values of 15.573 for leading strategically, and 4.075 for managing school operations and resources which exceeded the critical value of 2.306 at a five percent level of significance and verbally interpreted as significant rejecting the null hypothesis that there is a significant relationship between the leadership practices of the school administrators as to leading strategically, and managing school operations and resources, and school performance.

On the other hand, the obtained t values of 1.182 for focusing on teaching and learning; 1.339 for developing self and others; and 1.380 for building connections all fell below the critical value of 2.306 at 0.05 level of significance, verbally interpreted as not significant and failing to reject the null hypothesis that there is no significant relationship between the leadership practices of the school administrators as to focusing on teaching and learning, developing self and others, and building connections.

On the leadership model based on the findings of the study

A  Localized Leadership Enhancement Model was designed and developed to further improve the administrators’ governance and leadership practices in the Schools Division of Batangas Province.

On the Suitability, Acceptability, and Feasibility of the Localized Leadership Enhancement Model

The Localized Leadership Enhancement Model was generally rated by the three groups of respondents as Highly Suitable, Highly Acceptable, and Highly Feasible as depicted by the overall weighted means of 4.75, 4.69, and 4.62 respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

In light of the foregoing findings, the following are the conclusions:

1. The administrators’ governance is very well implemented in the Schools Division of Batangas Province and all significant elements for good governance have been considered in the implementation of TEA governance using the Scouters Rock.
2. The leadership practices are greatly evident in the Schools Division of Batangas Province and school administrators focus their efforts more on operations, resources, and networking.
3. The TEA Governance and Leadership Practices are similarly evident in the Schools’ Division of Batangas Province.
4. Majority of the public senior high schools maintain exceptional achievements on key indicators relative to school performance.
5. The transparent and accountable governance projected by the school administrators has a moderate influence on the school performance while ethical governance has little effect on the school performance. On the other hand, the leadership practices of school administrators contribute positively to the school performance as regards leading strategically and managing school operations and resources while, focusing on teaching and learning, developing self and others, and building connections barely affect school performance.
6. Meanwhile, transparent governance is associated with Leading Strategically, Managing School Operations and Resources, and Building Connections, while having no direct effect on Focusing on Teaching and Learning, and Developing Self and Others when it comes to ethical governance and accountable governance have played an important role in the dispensation of leadership practices of school administrators.
7. A Localized Leadership Enhancement Model can guide and further improve the implementation of the administrators’ governance and some indicators of leadership practices in the Schools Division of Batangas Province.
8. Localized Leadership Enhancement Model is well-designed in terms of its purpose, target users, and existing local conditions to support the implementation of administrators’ governance and leadership practices towards enhancing the school performance in the Schools Division of Batangas Provinc