School Heads’ Decision – Making Styles And Educational Leadership: Their Influence On School Culture

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of school heads' decision-making styles and educational leadership on school culture, as perceived by teachers in the Schools Division of Iloilo City, Philippines. Utilizing a descriptive-correlational design and stratified random sampling, 350 teachers assessed their school heads' decision-making styles, educational leadership levels, and the prevailing school culture. Findings revealed a predominance of the Planner decision-making style among school heads, with no significant variations observed across teacher demographics. The level of educational leadership was generally perceived as very satisfactory, although differences emerged based on school level and teacher experience. While the dominant school culture wasn't explicitly identified, significant variations were found based on school level and length of service. Importantly, both decision-making styles and educational leadership were found to significantly influence school culture, highlighting the crucial role of school heads in shaping a positive and effective learning environment. The study underscores the importance of context-specific leadership approaches and collaborative decision-making in fostering a conducive school culture.