Leadership Attributes of School Heads, Classroom Instructional Environment and School Facilities: A Structural Equation Model on Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers in Region XI

Leadership Attributes of School Heads, Classroom Instructional Environment and School Facilities: A Structural Equation Model on Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers in Region XI

Rubelyn C. Aguinaldo¹, Celso L. Tagadiad²

¹Department of Education, Carmen, Davao del Norte, Philippines

²UM Professional Schools Carmen, Davao del Norte, Philippines

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2024.8110130

Received: 05 October 2024; Revised: 05 November 2024; Accepted: 06 November 2024; Published: 09 December 2024

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to identify the best-fit model for job satisfaction among teachers, focusing on the influence of leadership attributes of school heads, classroom instructional environment, and school facilities among 400 public school teachers in the Davao Region, Philippines. The research employed a quantitative approach to collect and analyze data, using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to assess the relationships between the variables. The results indicated very high levels for the leadership attributes of school heads and classroom instructional environment, a high level for school facilities, and very high job satisfaction levels among the teachers. The study further revealed significant statistical correlations between leadership attributes, classroom instructional environment, school facilities, and teachers’ job satisfaction. Additionally, the study showed that all exogenous variables strongly influenced the endogenous variable (job satisfaction). Model 3 emerged as the best-fit model, meeting the necessary criteria for model fitting based on various statistical indices. The model demonstrated excellent fit, confirming its applicability for understanding the factors affecting teachers’ job satisfaction. The leadership attributes of school heads were characterized by the retained indicators: professional credibility, communication, and influence. In terms of the classroom instructional environment, the key indicators included personalization and investigation. School facilities were described through the retained indicators: marketing education facilities, auditorium/stage facilities, teachers’ workroom, and the location/site of the school. Finally, the job satisfaction of teachers was measured using the following retained indicators: security, work environment, and job responsibilities. The study’s findings suggest that the Department of Education’s policy-making body should consider evaluating school facilities more thoroughly. Further investigation with standardized measurement tools is recommended to better assess the actual status of school facilities, as this could provide a clearer picture of how physical environments influence teacher satisfaction and performance.

Keywords: educational management, leadership attributes, classroom instructional environment, school facilities, and job satisfaction, SEM analysis, teacher, Philippines.

INTRODUCTION

Job satisfaction is one of the most intriguing aspects for teachers that enables them to work efficiently within an organization (Al Kuwaiti, Bicak & Wahass,2019). However, challenges like inadequate resources, school environment and limited financial incentives significantly impact their job satisfaction (Mainali & Belbase,2023).Additionally,  significant number of teachers were considering leaving the profession, primarily due to dissatisfaction with pay, lack of professional growth opportunities, and increasing workloads​ (Pew Research Center, 2023).

Moreover, teacher job satisfaction is essential because it significantly influences their professional development, motivation, and likelihood of staying in the education sector. Research highlights that access to professional growth opportunities, a supportive school culture, and sufficient resources are key elements in fostering job satisfaction. When these factors are lacking, teachers are more prone to burnout, which can lead to higher turnover rates and negatively impact student learning and the overall quality of education (Won & Chang, 2019; Ozkan & Akgenç, 2022).

Moreover, effective leaders possess essential attributes that enable positive interactions with employees, team members, and clients. They must have the skills to inspire and bring out the best in their team, ensuring everyone works together toward a shared goal. Additionally, a good leader is organized, keeping the team focused and on track to avoid delays (Enfroy, 2021).

More so, leadership attributes of school head promote job satisfaction. The reasons the teachers were satisfied teaching at their current schools was because their principals were very supportive (Parveen, 2022). Also, teachers experienced greater satisfaction in their roles when their principals exhibited supportive leadership qualities (Hoque & Raya, 2023). In addition, taking steps like providing encouragement, recognizing teachers’ achievements, and fostering a positive school environment are essential for enhancing job satisfaction. These leadership qualities not only help retain teachers but also improve their overall well-being and strengthen their commitment to their profession. (Gan, 2021).

In similar views on a significant relationship between leadership attributes and teachers’ job satisfaction, many researches highlight a strong correlation, suggesting that effective leadership is crucial for enhancing teacher satisfaction. The findings underscore the importance of leadership in boosting job satisfaction, which is vital for improving teacher retention and performance in schools (Muttalib, Danish, & Zehri, 2023).

Additionally, another study found a significant correlation between school heads’ leadership attributes and the job satisfaction of public school teachers. Their study shows that strong leadership qualities in school heads are closely linked to higher teacher satisfaction, suggesting that effective leadership fosters a supportive and motivating work environment essential for teacher retention and performance (Gómez-Leal, Holzer, Bradley, Fernández-Berrocal, & Patti, 2022).

Meanwhile, in the study made by Bahtilla (2021), classroom environment wherein the instructions happen greatly influences the satisfaction of the teacher towards their work. He found out that instructional environment is a statistically significant contribution to predicting teachers’ job satisfaction. In addition, instructional environmental factors are critical; they can either lead to job satisfaction or job dissatisfaction. Thus, schools needs to provide the necessary facilities and the support teachers need in preparing students for the changing and challenging world (Admiral, 2024).

Likewise, a study investigated the relationship between instructional environmental factors and teacher job satisfaction. They explored how the classroom instructional environment affects teacher satisfaction, discovering that a positive environment significantly boosts job satisfaction, which can subsequently enhance teacher performance. The study emphasizes that elements such as classroom management and resources directly impact teachers’ sense of fulfillment and effectiveness in their roles, thereby establishing a connection between instructional conditions and overall job satisfaction (Harrison, King & Wang, 2023; Sadeghi, et al., (2021).

In addition, the critical role that the instructional environment plays in student engagement and success. This concept aligns with research by educators like Good and Lavigne (2018), who emphasize that the classroom environment significantly impacts student outcomes. Various factors, such as noise levels, lighting, temperature, and classroom layout, can either enhance or hinder learning. Properly managed instructional environments contribute to higher student performance and engagement, making the teaching process more effective and relevant to achieving curricular goals (Reinkle, Herman, & Copeland, 2022).

On the other hand, school facilities has significant correlation with the teachers satisfaction in their job. Their findings imply that the physical facilities are very significant and therefore as physical facilities become more inadequate, female principals become more dissatisfied with their jobs.  (Onyango & Sika, 2020).

Also, good school facilities help determine the success of students and the effectiveness of a teacher’s lesson. However, with tight budgets and staff costs, the condition of school facilities is often further down the list of priorities. how that school facilities have an impact on the overall school experience of students and teachers (Andrews, 2019). According to an article by Penn State University, school facilities affect teacher recruitment and retention. More importantly, they also affect the satisfaction towards their teaching career. Thus, adequate facilities make it easier for the school to deliver better education. But Morgan and Atienzar, (2023) who conducted a study in Davao City and revealed that school facilities do not influence teachers` job satisfaction. This implies that the evaluation of school facilities needs further investigation using a standard measurement value to reveal the actual status of school facilities without the partiality and inconsistency of teachers‟ individual perceptions.

Additionally,   based on research findings of the Department of Education public schools struggle when it comes to the availability of appropriate, useful, and quality school facilities on teaching and learning. a large proportion of school facilities in the Philippines are approximately fifty years old and are typically in poor conditions. The problem then is clearly visible—deficiencies in the physical school facilities result to serious ramifications in student learning and achievement, impairment of teaching standards that would hamper the satisfaction of the teachers towards their teaching work (Limon, 2019; Lopes &Oliviera, 2020).

Though numerous studies have been conducted about the job satisfaction of teachers such as the study of Toropova, (2021). However, the study explored the job satisfaction of teachers focusing on the importance of school working conditions and teacher characteristics. Also, there have been studies in the past linking leadership traits and job satisfaction of teachers in global settings (Anastaciou, 2021). But most of the existing studies deals with the correlation between two variables only. No studies have been established that deals with the correlation of leadership traits, classroom environment and school facilities on the job satisfaction of teachers in the public school setting. in the Philippines particularly in the Region XI. This prompted the researcher to conduct this study in order to determine the domain that best influences the job satisfaction of public school teachers in Region XI. Results of this study would serve as the basis for formulating and enhancing DepEd policy and regulation to improve its instructional environment. It may provide insights into what programs or activities are needed to be prioritized and be implemented.

The main objective of this study is to ascertain the best fit model that significantly influence the job satisfaction of the public school teachers in Region XI through leadership attributes of school heads, classroom instructional environment and school facilities. Specifically, this  study aimed to determine; the level of leadership attributes of school heads in terms of influence, communicate effectively, build relationships, feel empowered, and professional credibility; the level of classroom instructional environment of public school teachers in terms of:  personalization,  investigation, and participation; Also to find out  the level of school facilities in terms of: school location and site, administrative and service facilities, teachers’ workroom, counselors’ office, library, media, and technology centers, computer laboratory, classrooms, remedial rooms, specialized instructional area, science facilities, auditorium/stage facilities, school site vocational, food service, health service units, agricultural facilities, marketing education facilities, diversified cooperative facilities, home economic facilities, and business education facilities; to ascertain the level of job satisfaction of public  school teachers in terms of: security, work environment, job responsibilities, community attachment or linkages; and  to find out the significant relationship between: Leadership attributes of school heads, classroom instructional  environment, and school facilities to the job satisfaction of public school teachers in Region XI. Likewise, to determine the domain that best influences the job satisfaction of public school teachers in Region XI.

More so, this study was tested by the following hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance: There is no significant relationship between: Leadership attributes of school heads, classroom instructional environment school facilities and teachers’ job satisfaction. There is no variable that can best influence job satisfaction of public school teachers in Region XI. There is no model that best fits the job satisfaction of public school teachers in Region XI.

This study is anchored on Edwin A. Locke’s Range of Affect Theory (1976) of which the core idea of this theory is that job satisfaction arises from the gap between what an individual desire in a job and what they actually experience. Additionally, the theory suggests that the importance a teacher places on certain job aspects, such as autonomy, directly influences their satisfaction. If a teacher highly values a specific aspect, their satisfaction is more strongly impacted—positively when expectations are met and negatively when they are not—compared to a teacher who values that aspect less.

Likewise, another theory that supported on this study is the Herzberg’s (1959) Two-Factor Theory which posits that certain job-related factors contribute to job satisfaction, while others lead to dissatisfaction among workers. Herzberg believed that motivation and job satisfaction are influenced by two distinct sets of factors. One set consists of factors that, when absent, result in dissatisfaction. The other set includes factors that, when present, motivate individuals to achieve higher performance. These motivating factors are intrinsic to the job itself, relating to the nature of the work. To effectively motivate workers, it is essential to focus on these intrinsic motivators or growth factors, which involve what employees are permitted to do in their roles.

Similarly, Equity Theory by John Stacey Adams focuses on how employees perceive fairness in the workplace. Job satisfaction is achieved when employees feel that their input (effort, skill) to output (salary, recognition) ratio is fair compared to others. Perceived inequities can lead to dissatisfaction and decreased motivation. In the context of teaching, factors like supportive leadership, often linked to higher job satisfaction among teachers.

Appended Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework of the study having the exogenous variable; Leadership Attributes by Shariff (2015) with five (5) indicators; influence, communicate effectively, build relationships, feel empowered, and professional credibility. Next is Classroom Instructional Environment with three indicators : Personalization, Investigation, Participation; Another variable is School Facilities by Vermont School Construction Planning Guide with  19 sub-scales namely; school location and site, administrative and service facilities, teachers’ workroom, counselors’ office, library, media, and technology centers, computer laboratory, classrooms, remedial rooms, specialized instructional area, science facilities, auditorium/stage facilities, school site vocational, food service, health service units, agricultural facilities, marketing education facilities, diversified cooperative facilities, home economic facilities, and business education facilities; lastly is Job Satisfaction used by Romero and Bantique (2017) with four domains; security, work environment, job responsibilities and Community Attachment or Linkages.

This study would be helpful to the following group of individuals. First, it offers significant global implications such as; Improving educational outcomes and policy development. Specifically, the Social Development Target 4.c: Increase Supply of Qualified Teachers and Build and Upgrade Education Facilities. Effective leadership and a positive instructional environment are critical for teacher satisfaction, which in turn affects student performance. By understanding these factors, schools worldwide can create environments that motivate teachers, leading to better educational outcomes for students. Insights from this research can guide policymakers in designing educational reforms that prioritize teacher well-being.

Also, this may serve as the baseline for the DepEd authorities in executing and urging the educators to ensure that teachers are satisfied to their job. In addition, it would give a gauge information to the school heads on the status particularly the level of teachers’ job satisfaction. Likewise, this would be a great help for the teachers since the findings of this study may serve as an assessment of their work satisfaction and how it will affect the success of the school. It will give an idea to the administrators in making upgrade programs in respect on how to adjust their intervention program   Finally, students are the immediate recipient of this study since they are the beneficiaries of whatever proposed suggestions in view of the findings. In summary, research on these factors is essential for meeting specific SDG targets by improving teacher satisfaction, which is directly linked to the quality and equity of education provided to students globally. Nevertheless, it can be a baseline for future research study.

METHOD

Research Respondents

This study aimed to assess the job satisfaction among the 400 public teachers from the total number of 25, 469 or .015 percent of the total public elementary school teachers in Region XI of which Davao del Norte has 120 respondents and ranked as the highest number of respondents with the 25 % of the total respondents. Tagum City has 50 respondents, Davao del Sur and Davao de Oro have the same number of respondents of 30 each. Davao City, Panabo City, Digos City, and Mati City have also the same number of respondents with 25 each or 12.5%. Island Garden City of Samal has 55 and Davao Oriental has 15 as the lowest number of respondents.

The researcher utilized stratified random sampling to ascertain the number of schools per division. In determining the appropriate number for Structural Equation Modeling, Ranatuga & Priyanath, (2020) followed the rule of the thumb of which 400 respondents are appropriate in which the researcher used the correct sample size from the ten (10) divisions in Region XI as the subject of the study.

The respondents included in this study were the teachers of the selected public schools within the Region XI as they were suited as the respondents who provided useful information to test the hypothesis of this study. Then, teachers from private elementary schools and public secondary schools are not included in this study. Excluded groups also are students, parents, school heads and DepEd Officials. In this study respondents were given the free-will to withdraw in case they are not comfortable in answering the survey without any form of consequence or penalty or loss of benefits. Also, the respondents can be withdrawn from the research study if he/she commits falsification, plagiarism and other moral offenses or the respondents have health conditions and special needs.

Material and Instruments

There were four adapted questionnaires from the web sources that will be used in gathering the data. First questionnaire is Leadership Attributes by Shariff (2015) with five (5) indicators and nine teen (19) items. Next is classroom instructional environment with three indicators and ten items, school facilities by Vermont School Construction Planning Guide has 22 indicators and 92 items. While job satisfaction questionnaire used by Romero and Bantique (2017) has four indicators and 27 items. The questionnaires were submitted to the research adviser for comments and suggestions. Upon approval, the questionnaire undergone an internal validation and same questionnaires were submitted for external validation of the experts. After editing, it undergone a pilot testing to 50 respondents and the results were submitted to the statistician for test of reliability and validity of which Leadership attributes obtained a Cronbach alpha of 0.880, classroom instructional environment has 0.828, school facilities have 0.987_and job satisfaction gained 0.950. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient normally ranges between 0 and 1. The closer Cronbach’s alpha coefficient is to 1.0 the greater the internal consistency of the items in the scale (Gliem, 2003).

The four instruments underwent contextualization based on the local situations. Refinement of the questionnaire were made possible through the assistance of the adviser and expert validators who will evaluate the contents of the questionnaire for construct validity.

Moreover, to evaluate, the scoring guide for the endogenous and exogenous latent variable analysis of the responses was categorized into five -option Likert-type response. The scale is as follows:4.20- 5.00 which means very high with a verbal interpretation of being always manifested; 3.40-4.19 which means high with a verbal interpretation of being oftentimes manifested; 2.60-3.39 which means moderate with a verbal interpretation of the variable of being sometimes manifested; 1.80-2.59 which means low with a verbal interpretation of being seldom manifested; and 1.00-1.79 which means very low with a verbal interpretation of being never manifested.

Design and Procedure

This study is a quantitative research employing descriptive-correlational research design. Quantitative research methods will be used in explaining an issue or phenomenon through gathering data in numerical form and analyzing with the aid of statistical tool. It is quantitative research since it dealt with statistical tools in analyzing data. (Apuke, 2017). Meanwhile, descriptive correlational is used to describe the statistical association between two or more variables (Creswell, 2014).

 Furthermore, it is descriptive since it determined the levels of Leadership attributes of School heads, teacher job satisfaction, school facilities and instructional environment. It is also correlation in nature since it aimed to investigate the association of the variables involved in the study.  In the generation of the best fit model, structural equation model (SEM) will also be used.  First, it will utilize descriptive-correlation method of research (Szapkiw, 2012) that descriptive-correlation studies provided understanding of what is in a specific situation with an identified population and examines the extent to which two or more variables relate to one another. Secondly, this study used structural equation model (SEM). As noted by Lomax & Li (2013), this method combines factor analysis with path analysis to test theoretical relations among latent variables. The incorporation of factor analysis in structural equation modeling allows the researcher to use multiple measures of each latent variable instead of a single measure, thereby enabling better measurement conditions (i.e., reliability and validity). This method will be used to measure the level of leadership attributes of school heads, teacher job satisfaction, and school facilities. of selected public schools in Region XI.

The gathered data followed the hereunder procedures: The researcher sent a letter to the Dean of Professional Schools asking permission to conduct a survey in Davao Region. Upon the approval, a letter to the Regional Director of the DepEd Regional Office asking permission to conduct the study to the 10 Divisions in Region XI will be forwarded. Next is the letter for the School Heads of the Identified participating schools. Then, the preliminary draft of the four instruments to be used were forwarded to the research adviser for further developments; afterwards, the said questionnaires were forwarded to the panel of experts for reliability and validation. For content validity, the instrument is considered a very good tool since it received a rating of 4.25 from the internal and external validators. This implies that the survey instruments are valid and reliable.

After which, a schedule was made for the distribution of the test questionnaires. For convenience and clarity, the explanation about the study and instruction for the tests will be incorporated in the questionnaires. Apart from the written instruction, the researcher still make an effort to explain to the respondents the rationale of the study and their rights as respondents. The researcher adhered personally distribute and administer the research instrument to the respondents to ensure one hundred (100%) percent retrieval of the questionnaire. The researcher adhered to the advancement of Technology. She will engage in the use of google forms in collecting the data if necessary especially those Schools in the far Divisions. The survey conducted on the third quarter of school year 2021-2022. The respondents were given enough time to answer the survey questionnaire.  The data that have gathered by the researcher were tallied, tabulated, analyzed and interpreted based on the purpose of the study. Then, Pearson r was employed to determine the significant relationship between the variables and a Structural Equation Model will be used to determine the best fit model for instructional environment.

This study used statistical tools in the computation of data and testing the hypotheses at alpha 0.05 level of significance. Mean. This was used to determine the level of leadership attributes of the school heads, classroom instructional environment, school facilities and job satisfaction of teachers in Region XI. Pearson (r). This was used to determine the interrelationship between leadership attributes of the school heads, classroom instructional environment, school facilities and job satisfaction of teachers in Region XI. Multiple Regression Analysis. This was used to determine the interrelationship between leadership attributes of the school heads, classroom instructional environment, school facilities and job satisfaction of teachers in Region XI.

In addition, to identify the best-fit model, all the values of the given indices must fall within each criterion. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used. SEM is a powerful multivariate technique found increasingly in scientific investigations to test and evaluate multivariate causal relationships. The researcher used the Goodness of Fit Statistics for the Alternative Model thru Analysis of Moment Structure (AMOS). The following indices were computed and should meet the criteria: CMIN/DF should be 0<<2 with a p-value >0.05, Tucker-Lewis Index (TLI) should be >0.9, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) should be >0.9, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) should be >0.9, Normed Fit Index (NFI) should be >0.9 and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) should be <0.05 and P of close Fit  (PCLOSE) of >0.05 ( Hooper,  Coughlan & Mullen, 2008).

There were considerable ethical issues and concerns that had specifications for the quantitative inquest. Such issues and concerns may arise primarily from the methodology involved in this study. The ethical contests that are pertinent to this research concern the issues of the right to conduct the study, confidentiality and anonymity. The researcher observed and followed full ethical standards in the conduct of the study following the protocol assessments and standardized criteria, particularly in managing the population and data such as, but not limited to: Voluntary Participation of which the respondents were given the free-will to participate without any form of consequence or penalty or loss of benefits; Privacy and confidentiality of which the researcher kept with utmost confidentiality the respondents’ personal information that may be required in the study by  following the Data Privacy Act 2012.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

This section presents the analysis and interpretation of the respondents’ data on job satisfaction among the public teachers of selected elementary schools within Region XI based on the research objectives previously stated. The order of discussions on the mentioned topic is as follows: level of Leadership attributes of school heads, instructional environment, school facilities and job satisfaction of public  school teachers in Region XI; correlations of the variables involved; and the best fit model of the job satisfaction of public school teachers in Region XI.

Level of Leadership Attributes of School Heads

Depicted in Table 1 is the level of leadership attributes of school heads, with a standard deviation of .11 and a weighted mean of 4.91 with a descriptive equivalent of very high. The results show that all the five indicators received a very high mean value. However, among the indicators, influence gained the highest mean value of 4.94, followed by Build Relationships with a mean value of 4.92. Next is Communicate with a mean value of 4.91. Moreover, the lowest among the indicators fall on Feel Empowered and Professional Credibility which obtained at the same mean value of 4.89 of which it can be depicted on appendix 1.1 specifically when the school head is assertive in raising concerns related to health care of teachers, Being knowledgeable and competent in education.

The results implied that school heads of Public elementary schools in Region XI possessed a very high level of leadership attributes. Leadership attributes among the school heads are consistently high across the board. This means there is little variation in the perceived effectiveness of the leaders, indicating a uniformly strong leadership presence within the schools.              

Table 1 Level of Leadership Attributes of School Heads

This result is supported by the idea of Enfroy, (2021) who found out that that it is advantage on part of the school heads if they possess a very high level of leadership attributes. It could help positively interact with their employees, team members, and clients. It needs to have important skills to be a good leader to be able to bring out the best abilities in his/her team members and motivate them to work together in achieving a shared goal. A good leader is also organized and keeps the team on track and focused to avoid delays.

In addition, the findings was aligned to Cherry, (2024) who viewed that successful leadership arises from certain inborn personality traits and characteristics that produce consistent behavioral patterns. This line of research emerged as one of the first investigations into the nature of effective leadership. Effective leaders don’t get stuck in a rut. They are able to think outside of the box and adapt quickly to changing situations. Leaders who have the capacity to motivate people is great leader knows how to inspire others and motivate them to do their best.

Level of Classroom Instructional Environment of Public School Teachers

Shown in Table 2, the overall weighted means of each criterion of classroom instructional environment of public school teachers are presented. The overall standard deviation is 0.29 with a weighted mean of 4.86 with a descriptive interpretation of Very High. The results revealed that the Personalization has the highest mean score among indicators with a mean value of 4.92, described as Very High. This is followed by Investigation with a mean value of 4.84, which is also Very High. The lowest among the indicators is Participation that gained a descriptive equivalent of high with a mean value of 4.82.

Table 2 Level of Classroom Instructional Environment of Public School Teachers

Moreover, the positive result of this study is supported by the findings of Susan (2020), who strongly viewed that the school needs to provide the necessary facilities and the support teachers need in preparing students for the changing and challenging world. Schools play a critical role in preparing students for the changing and challenging world, and to do so effectively, they must provide the necessary facilities and support to teachers like adapting to Technological Advancements. The rapid pace of technological change requires students to be well-versed in current and emerging technologies. Schools must provide up-to-date technology and resources to help teachers integrate these tools into their lessons, ensuring students are prepared for the digital world.

 In addition, it’s important to remember that if the learning environment is not encouraging, students will struggle with their work and might even lose interest in. If they are lack of motivation, an unwelcoming or uninspiring environment can lead to a significant drop in student motivation. If students do not feel supported or valued, they are less likely to engage with their studies or put in the effort required to succeed (Hudson, 2022).

Level of School Facilities

Presented in Table 3 is the level of school facilities with an overall standard deviation of 0.28 and an overall weighted mean score of 3.44 which has a descriptive equivalent of High. Among the indicators, seven received a very high mean value. However, School Location and Site obtained the highest mean value of 4.91 followed by administrative and service facilities with 4.83. Next is Counselors’ Office with a mean value of 4.76. Meanwhile, the top three lowest among the indicators are the following; Business Education Facilities that gained a mean value of 1.34 with a descriptive level of very low. Next is Vocational Health Facilities with a mean value of 1.39 and Diversified Cooperative Facilities with a mean value of 1.45 and a descriptive level of very low.

Moreover, the following specific items’ result which gained the highest means are Site is easily accessible and conveniently located for learning of which obtained a mean value of 4.94; followed by site is large enough for future expansion and Site is large enough to meet educational needs which gained a mean value of 4.93 and a descriptive equivalent of Very High. Meanwhile, some items have the lowest mean value and have a verbal description of very low. These are; required vocational equipment and materials are available in each vocational area with a mean value of 1.32; adequate storage is available in each vocational area, with a mean value of 1.34 with a descriptive level of very low; and Classroom and laboratory space in each vocational area is adequate to meet curriculum with a mean value of 1.35 with a descriptive level of very low.

Table 3 Level of School Facilities

The result of the study backed up with what Andrews (2019) findings on his study which concludes that good school facilities help determine the success of students and the effectiveness of a teacher’s lesson. However, with tight budgets and staff costs, the condition of school facilities is often further down the list of priorities. how that school facilities have an impact on the overall school experience of students and teachers.

In same manner, based on the research findings of Limon (2019), public schools in the Philippines face significant challenges regarding the availability of appropriate, useful, and high-quality school facilities for teaching and learning. A substantial number of these school facilities are around fifty years old and are often in poor condition.

Level of Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers

As presented in Table 4, it shows the level of job satisfaction with an overall standard deviation of 0.14 and an overall weighted mean score of 4.92, which has a verbal interpretation of Very High. Among the indicators, Community Attachment or Linkages received the highest mean value of 4.96; followed by Work Environment and Job Responsibilities of which they obtained same mean value of 4.92 with a very high descriptive interpretation. More so, the lowest indicator is Security with a mean value of 4.87 but still on a very high level.

Meanwhile, for specific items’ results, most of the items served as the highest means with a verbal description of Very High and obtained a mean value of 4.96, these are; have a sense of friendship and team spirit with colleagues, my work relations are satisfactory and, I coordinated and integrated activities and I have a chance for socialization with colleagues during work. Meanwhile, some items have the lowest means but still have a verbal description of Very high. I have been rewarded for my good performance with a mean value of 4.80, the chance to be reclassified/be promoted with a mean value of 4.84 and the benefits I receive are good as most other organization can offer with a mean value of 4.86.

Table 4 Level of Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers

Moreover, the results implied that employees are highly satisfied with their jobs. This strong satisfaction level is likely contributing to positive workplace morale and increased productivity. It indicates also that employees feel a strong connection to their community, which may enhance their sense of purpose and belonging within the organization. This connection likely plays a crucial role in their overall job satisfaction and could be a driving factor in their commitment to the organization.

The very high result of job satisfaction of teachers conforms with what Lopes and Oliviera (2020) believed on satisfaction with one’s job. It can increasingly become important in any workplace especially in education. Teacher job satisfaction is a determiner of the effectiveness of not only the teacher him/herself but also that of the students but the school environment and the educational system at large.

Additionally, satisfied teachers tend to be more engaged and supportive in their professional environment, leading to better overall organizational success. This connection is rooted in the positive impact of job satisfaction on teachers’ emotional well-being, which enhances their ability to create supportive learning environments and collaborate effectively with peers​ (Toropova, 2021).

Relationship between Leadership Attributes of School Heads and Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers

Presented in Table 5.1 are the test results of the relationship between Leadership Attributes of School Heads and Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers. It can be noted in the hypothesis the relationship was tested at a 0.05 level of significance. The overall R-value of .4.16 with a p-value of <0.05 signified the rejection of the null hypothesis. This means that there is a significant relationship between leadership attributes of school heads and job satisfaction of teachers and that leadership attributes of school heads is correlated with job satisfaction of teachers. More specifically, the result reveals that all indicators of leadership attributes are correlated with job satisfaction of teachers., the p-value is less than 0.05. This implied that, the way school heads lead has a direct impact on how satisfied teachers are with their jobs. Effective leadership, characterized by positive attributes such as support, communication, and fairness, can enhance teacher morale, motivation, and overall job satisfaction.

These findings are   supported by Gómez-Leal et al. (2022) who found out that leadership attributes of school heads and job satisfaction of public school teachers are correlated. It indicates that the leadership style and attributes of school heads significantly impact teacher job satisfaction. When school heads demonstrate strong leadership qualities, it positively correlates with higher levels of job satisfaction among teachers. This correlation suggests that effective leadership can create a supportive and motivating work environment, which is crucial for teacher retention and performance.

Table 5.1 Relationship between Leadership Attributes of School Heads and Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers

This result also conforms to the research findings of  Muttalib, Danish, Zehri,(2023) who found out that leadership attributes of school heads  have a  significant relationship to the satisfaction of teachers towards their work. Their study showed a strong correlation between leadership attributes and how satisfied teachers are with their jobs, further reinforcing the idea that effective leadership is essential for a positive job satisfaction. It provides evidence that leadership attributes are strongly linked to job satisfaction, making it a key area of focus for improving teacher retention and performance in schools.

Relationship Between Classroom Instructional Environment and Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers

Shown in Table 5.2 are the results of the test of the relationship between Classroom Instructional Environment and Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers. The results show that the overall values reveal a positive and significant relationship between Classroom Instructional Environment and Job Satisfaction of (r=.633, p= value of less than .05).

Further, all of the indicators of Classroom Instructional Environment correlate positively with Job Satisfaction of teachers, namely the overall r-value is .528 on Personalization, .573 on Investigation, and .526 on Participation.

Table 5.2 Significance of the Relationship between Classroom Instructional Environment and Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers

This result is parallel to the views of Bahtilla (2021), who found out that the environment wherein the instructions happen is greatly influence the satisfaction of the teacher towards their work. He verified that instructional environment statistically significant contribution to predicting teachers’ job satisfaction.

In addition, the findings of this study are backed up with Harrison, King, and Wang (2023) study on instructional environmental factors and job satisfaction. They examined the impact of the classroom instructional environment on teacher job satisfaction. Their research found that a positive instructional environment significantly enhances teacher satisfaction, which in turn can improve their performance. The study highlights how factors like classroom management, resources, directly influence teachers’ feelings of fulfillment and effectiveness in their roles, thereby linking instructional conditions to overall job satisfaction.

Relationship between Levels of school facilities and job Satisfaction of teachers

Presented in Table 5.3 are the results of the test of the relationship between school facilities of public schools and job satisfaction of teachers. The results show that the overall r-value of .301 with p =value less than.05 reveals a significant relationship between school facilities of public schools and job satisfaction of teachers.

More precisely indicators of school facilities of public schools correlate positively with job satisfaction of teachers, namely; school location and site. Below gained a p value of less than 0.05 and an r-value of .512; counselors’ office gained .533 and auditorium/ stage facilities received  an r-value of .511., administrative and service facilities with an r-value of .404, Teachers’ Workroom has .290,  Library, Media, and Technology Centers -.359,  Classrooms- .392,  Remedial Rooms- -.180,  Specialized Instructional Area-.391, Science Facilities-.379, School Site Vocational -.340, Food Service- .465,  Agricultural Education Facilities- .097, Agricultural Mechanics Facilities.184,  Marketing Education Facilities-.280, Diversified Cooperative Facilities-.240, Vocational Health Facilities–.249,  and Home Economic Facilities has an r value of -.297.

Table 5.3 Significance of the Relationship between School Facilities of Public Schools and Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers

The findings were supported by Santoso et al., (2022) who explored how school facilities influence teachers’ job satisfaction. The research found that well-maintained and adequately equipped school facilities positively impact teachers’ satisfaction levels. When teachers have access to quality facilities, they experience a more conducive working environment, which enhances their overall job satisfaction, motivation, and effectiveness in their roles. The study emphasizes the importance of investing in school infrastructure to improve teacher morale and retention.

inconsistency of teachers‟ individual perceptions

Likewise, this result is backed up with Onyango & Sika, (2020) who found out that physical facilities are very significant and therefore as physical facilities become more inadequate, teachers are more dissatisfied with their jobs. Likewise, same scenario with the teachers in Penn State University, for them school facilities affect the satisfaction towards their teaching career. Thus, adequate facilities make it easier for the school to deliver better education.

Significance on the Influence of Leadership Attributes, Classroom Instructional Environment, and School Facilities on Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers

With the use of regression, the researcher examined if there were possible influence relationships. When job satisfaction of teachers was regressed on the leadership attributes, classroom instructional environment and school facilities, it generated an R² of .463 as shown on Table 6. The ANNOVA value of this regression was 113.794, significant at .000. It can be stated therefore that the combination of the three exogenous variables significantly influenced job satisfaction. The R² of .463 indicated that 46.3% of the variance in job satisfaction was attributed to leadership attributes, classroom instructional environment and school facilities. This meant further that 53.7% of the variation in job satisfaction was attributed to other variables not covered in this study. Examining further, the table showed that among the three exogenous variables, leadership attributes had the greatest contribution (Beta =.302, P-value =.000) followed by school facilities with (Beta = .259, P-value = .000) and the lowest was Classroom Instructional Environment (Beta =-.063, P-value =.002). Of the three variables, only leadership attributes and school facilities significantly influenced job satisfaction of teachers.

Table 6 Significance on the Influence of Leadership Attributes, Classroom Instructional Environment, and School Facilities on Job Satisfaction of Public School Teachers

Generated Structural Models

This part analyzes the interrelationships among the variables in the study.  Three models were generated to obtain the best fit model of job satisfaction of teachers.  The models were assessed against the given fit indices and served as basis to accept or reject the model. The summary of the findings of the goodness of fit measures of these five structural models is presented in Table 7.

In identifying the best fitting model, all the indices included must consistently fall within the acceptable ranges. Chi-square/degrees of freedom value should between 0 and 2, with its corresponding p-value greater or equal to 0.05. Root Mean square of Error Approximately value must be less than 0.05 and its corresponding p-close value must be greater or equal to 0.05. The other indices such as Normed Fit Index, Tucker-Lewis Index, Comparative Fit Index, and Goodness of Fit Index must be all greater than 0.90.

Hypothesized Structure Model 1 appended as Figure 1 considered only the direct effects of leadership attributes, classroom instructional environment, school facilities to job satisfaction. It suggested a poor fit model to the data as all the index values did not fall within each criterion.

Hypothesized Structural Model 2 appended as Figure 2 showed an index value of Chi Square/Degrees of Freedom (11.176) and CFI or Comparative Fit Index of .382, which obtained that is not fit for the data. It also suggested a poor fit model to the data as all the index values do not fall within each criterion.

Lastly, Hypothesized Model 3 as seen in Figure 3 was identified as best fit model. It included leadership attributes as the latent variable which is expected to have influence on the latent endogenous variable on job satisfaction. The model fitting was calculated as being highly acceptable as presented in Table 7. The Chi-square divided by the degrees of freedom was 1.677 with the P-value of .060. This indicated a very good fit model to the data. This was also strongly supported by RMSEA index of .034 which was less than to 0.041 level of significance with its corresponding P-close value > 0.05. Likewise, the other indices such as NFI, TLI and CFI were found to be consistently indicating a very good fit model as their values, all fall within each criterion.

Table 7 Summary of Goodness of Fit Measures of the Three Generated Models       

Legend:  CMIN/DF – Chi Square/Degrees of Freedom                       NFI –Normed Fit Index
GFI          – Goodness of Fit Index                                         TLI –Tucker-Lewis Index
               RMSEA    –   Root Mean Square of Error Approximation  CFI – Comparative Fit Index

Best Fit Model of Job Satisfaction

Figure 3 expounds the standard estimates of Generated Model 3. It shows the interrelationships of the latent exogenous variables, leadership attributes of school heads, classroom learning environment, school facilities and its direct causal relationship with the latent endogenous variable, job satisfaction of teachers. As can be gleaned, Model 3 shows the interrelationships of the latent exogenous variables, leadership attributes of school heads, classroom learning environment, school facilities are exogenous variables that have direct causal relationship on job satisfaction. The model also revealed the interconnectedness of these three exogenous variables. Leadership attributes had a direct relationship with classroom learning environment and job satisfaction. Further school facilities also had direct relationship with classroom learning environment   and job satisfaction.

The model fitting was calculated as being highly acceptable. The Chi-square divided by the degrees of freedom was 1.677 with the P-value of .060. This indicated a very good fit model to the data. This was also strongly supported by RMSEA index of .041 which was less than to 0.05 level of significance with its corresponding P-close value > 0.05. Likewise, the other indices such as NFI, TLI and CFI were found to be consistently indicating a very good fit model as their values, all fall within each criterion.

FIGURE 3. A Model Showing the best fit model of interrelationship between the Exogenous Variable and its Causal Relationship on Job Satisfaction

Figure 3 shows the structural model standardized solution of the three exogenous variables. Results indicated that job satisfaction is strongly influenced by following indicators of leadership attributes such as Professional Credibility, communication and influence. While Classroom instructional environment indicators namely; personalization and investigation have significant contribution to the latent variable job satisfaction.

It can also be garnered from the figure that Administrative and Service Facilities, Teachers’ Workroom, School Location and Site and Library, Media and Technology Centers of school facilities have strong interconnectedness with each other. As a result, the goodness of its values changes in all indices and notably achieved the desired range for good fitting model.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATION

The used of structural equation model strengthened the reliability and thoroughness of this research because the analysis goes through the steps of model specification, model estimation and model evaluation. Results revealed that the level of Leadership attributes is Very High; the level of classroom instructional environment is very high; the level of school facilities is High; the level of job satisfaction is Very High, there is significant relationship among leadership attributes, classroom instructional environment and school facilities to job satisfaction; there is a combined influence among leadership attributes, and classroom instructional environment and school facilities to job satisfaction.  Out of the three explored structural models, only model 3 had indices that consistently indicated an outstanding fit to the data; therefore, it is identified as the best fitting structural model. This model indicates that job satisfaction of teachers is strongly influenced with leadership attributes. Furthermore, the leadership attribute of school heads was defined by the retained indicators, namely: professional credibility, communicate and Influence; Meanwhile classroom instructional environment was described with the following retained indicators: personalization and investigation;  On the other hand, school facilities was described with the following retained indicators: marketing education facilities, auditorium/stage facilities, teachers’ workroom and school location and site; Finally, job satisfaction of teachers retained the following indicators: security, work environment and job responsibilities.

The success of job satisfaction of teachers can be attributed to many factors. These factors may have been postulated by other studies to manifest job satisfaction of teachers in the field of education. It is feasible that other factors which manifest more lengthily in the respondents were not among those included in this study. Thus, the reasons the teachers were satisfied teaching at their current schools was because their principals were very supportive. In addition, the concept of Bahtilla (2021) on instructional environment strengthened the statistically significant contribution to predicting teachers’ job satisfaction. Likewise, Onyango & Sika, (2020) findings could imply that the school facilities are very significant and therefore as become more inadequate, teachers may become dissatisfied with their jobs. However, the result implies how teachers do not rely on the availability and sufficiency of school facilities to be satisfied in their jobs. Public school teachers are very resourceful and can find ways to compensate for the insufficiency, even if it means utilizing financial capabilities. In general, teachers display remarkable resilience amidst scarcity

Based from the findings, it is then recommended that with the problem in teachers’ job satisfaction, the very high level of leadership attributes of school heads and classroom instructional environment shall be maintained. However, it might be focusing on items having critical thinking and problem-solving skills through teacher education since it is the lowest among the items. While the high level of school facilities has to be addressed by conducting another study that will only focus on this variable. Future study can be in a qualitative design in order to unitize the results and explore specific factors that would influence job satisfaction of teachers.

In addition, school facilities can be further studied and explored through a mix method study in order to deeply understand the school facilities resulted as high level.  Importance of being resilience amidst scarcity and being a resourceful might be given an emphasis in the seminar and trainings. The school and administration may look into a program or project to explore what factors that affect the satisfaction of teachers on their job. Another type of study is recommended to be conducted which will explore and focus on the job satisfaction of teachers.

Further, it is best to explore for an intervention program utilizing the identified best fit model of this study. Thus, it is recommended to explore for other researches related to the job satisfaction of teachers to answer those dissatisfied teachers in the academe.

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