Cultivating Inclusive Leadership in Schools: Strategies, Challenges, and Outcomes in Promoting Diversity and Equity

This study examined the cultivation of inclusive leadership in public secondary schools in Basud, Camarines Norte, focusing on the strategies, challenges faced, and outcomes in promoting diversity and equity. It also determined the relationship between inclusive leadership strategies and challenges and proposed an intervention based on the study’s outcomes. A quantitative descriptive-correlational design was employed involving 239 educational leaders composed of school heads, teachers, and School Parents and Teachers Association (SPTA) presidents. Data was gathered using a validated researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed through weighted mean and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. Findings showed that inclusive leadership strategies were generally employed across policy and program implementation, professional development, community engagement, accessibility, well-being, and monitoring mechanisms. Policy implementation was the most practiced, while student and teacher well-being was the least. Challenges were assessed as moderately challenging with poor internet connectivity identified as the most significant concern. Relationships between strategies and challenges were generally weak and not statistically significant although significant positive relationships were found between resource constraints and professional development, and between policy alignment and well-being. Outcomes related to diversity and equity were moderately complied, indicating positive but developing results, with flexible teaching strategies showing the strongest outcome and equitable policies the weakest. The study concludes that while inclusive leadership practices are evident, gaps in consistency and sustainability remain. Thus, the study proposes the LEAD-IN INSET cum Learning Action Cell (LAC) Session: Strengthening Inclusive Leadership for Diversity and Equity in the School Community as a school-based professional development intervention to enhance inclusive leadership practices in secondary schools.

Inclusive leadership; diversity; equity; leadership strategies; challenges; outcomes

1. UNESCO. (2020). Global Education Monitoring Report 2020: Inclusion and Education: All means all. Paris: UNESCO. https://gem-report-2020.unesco.org/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Farahnak, L. R., Ehrhart, M. G., Torres, E. M., & Aarons, G. A. (2020). Transformational leadership and leader attitudes influence subordinate attitudes and implementation success. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies, 27(1), 98–111. https: //doi. org/10. 1177/ 1548051818824529 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Lambrecht, J., Lenkeit, J., Hartmann, A., Ehlert, A., Knigge, M., & Spörer, N. (2020). The effect of school leadership on implementing inclusive education: how transformational and instructional leadership practices affect individualised education planning. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 26(9), 943–957. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2020.1752825 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Li, T., & Tang, N. (2022). Inclusive Leadership and Innovative Performance: a Multi-Level Mediation Model of Psychological safety. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.934831 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Sijuola, R., & Davidova, J. (2022). Challenges of Implementing Inclusive Education: Evidence from Selected Developing Countries. Rural Environment. Education. Personality. https://doi.org/10.22616/reep.2022.15.017 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Republic Act No. 10533: Enhanced Basic Education Act of 2013. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2013/05/15/republic-act-no-10533/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Republic Act No. 11650. An Act Instituting a Policy of Inclusion and Services for Learners with Disabilities in Support of Inclusive Education...Supreme Court E-Library. https:// elibrary. judiciary. gov.ph/ thebook shelf/ showdocs/2/ 94483 Department of Education. (2012). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]