Instructional leadership plays a central role in improving teaching quality and student learning outcomes in schools. School principals are expected to guide curriculum implementation, support teachers, and ensure that resources and technology are effectively utilized to enhance instructional delivery. Despite these responsibilities, many school leaders encounter various challenges that influence their capacity to perform these roles effectively. This study examined the instructional leadership challenges experienced by school principals, focusing on three key domains: curriculum management, resource allocation, and technology integration. A quantitative research approach using a descriptive survey design was employed. Data were collected from thirty school principals who had passed the National Qualifying Examination for School Heads and were currently serving in public elementary and secondary schools. A structured questionnaire was used as the primary instrument for data collection. The instrument demonstrated strong reliability with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.91. Descriptive statistics, including mean and standard deviation, were utilized to determine the extent of leadership challenges. Inferential statistical tests such as t-test and analysis of variance were conducted to examine differences in the level of challenges when grouped according to selected profile variables, including age, sex, years of experience, educational attainment, and school size. The findings revealed that principals experienced slight challenges in curriculum management, resource allocation, and technology integration. Most demographic variables did not significantly influence the level of instructional leadership challenges encountered by principals. However, school size showed a significant relationship with technology integration challenges, indicating that principals managing larger schools experienced greater difficulty in implementing digital initiatives. The results suggest that while school leaders demonstrate resilience in managing instructional responsibilities, structural constraints such as limited resources and technological infrastructure remain key concerns. Strengthening institutional support systems, providing targeted professional development, and improving access to technological resources may enhance the effectiveness of instructional leadership in schools. Keywords: Instructional Leadership, School Principals, Curriculum Management, Resource Allocation, Technology Integration, Educational Leadership, School Administration, Instructional Supervision

High-pressure Chinese secondary schools often operate under intense examination accountability, which can marginalise school sport despite policy commitments to holistic development. Leadership research has limited evidence on how distributed–transformational leadership supports sports programme quality and inclusivity in these contexts and how this relates to student outcomes. Using a sequential explanatory mixed-methods design, we surveyed school leaders and students in 80 public secondary schools across three Chinese provinces, estimated a multilevel structural equation model and conducted paired urban and rural case studies to explain the quantitative pathway. Distributed–transformational leadership predicted higher programme quality and inclusivity, and programme quality mediated associations with student well-being, inclusion and academic achievement, while interviews showed how examination pressure, resources and school leader well-being shaped enactment. The study positions programme quality and inclusivity as the proximal mechanism linking leadership to holistic outcomes in high-pressure Chinese schooling and offers implications for leadership development and policy implementation.

Economic inequality impacts development across the lifespan, influencing access to resources, suitable housing, and quality schooling. However, we lack an understanding of how differences in income shape interpersonal interactions, such as social class discrimination. Adolescence is a key developmental period to examine this construct, given identity formation and cognitive advances. We conducted semi-structured interviews with adolescents ( n = 33; 18 cisgender girls and 15 cisgender boys) and adults ( n = 8; five teachers and three parents; seven cisgender women and one trans-male). Interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis, incorporating both structured and reflexive coding. Findings indicated three themes. First, Social Class Discrimination Occurs in a Variety of Ways captured experiences ranging from overt acts to subtle biases. Targets included the adolescent (direct) and via other individuals (indirect). Sources of discrimination were teachers, adolescents, adults in the community, and social media. Second, What Makes Social Class Discrimination Unique highlighted its novel qualities, such as appearance, materials, housing conditions, parental occupation, and wealth. Third, The Intersectionality of Social Class Discrimination indicated its overlap with race/ ethnicity, skin color, and gender. Addressing this topic is crucial for supporting adolescent well-being. Efforts to combat such discrimination should consider its multidimensionality, uniqueness, and intersectionality.

This study explored the impact of ancillary duties on instructional supervision and teaching quality in public schools in Cebu, Siquijor, and Southern Leyte during the 2025–2026 academic year. Employing a qualitative multiple case study design, the research aimed to capture the lived experiences of teachers who balance instructional responsibilities with non-teaching tasks. Twenty public school teachers were purposively selected from three schools representing urban, rural, and island contexts. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and observation, and analyzed using thematic analysis to identify key patterns and themes across cases. Findings revealed that teachers are frequently assigned ancillary duties such as administrative documentation, committee participation, program coordination, and extracurricular supervision, which significantly influence their instructional planning, lesson delivery, and assessment practices. Participants reported that these additional responsibilities often constrained the time and attention available for classroom instruction, reducing the frequency and effectiveness of instructional supervision. Teachers employed coping strategies, including time management, task prioritization, collaboration with colleagues, and selective delegation, to balance instructional and non-instructional roles. The study recommends workload rationalization, restructuring of supervisory processes, targeted professional development on time management and coping skills, and collaborative task distribution among school staff. Furthermore, an evidence-based teacher reskilling and upskilling program, TEACHER-PLUS 2026, was proposed to strengthen instructional supervision and optimize the management of ancillary duties. The study contributes to understanding the interplay between teacher workload, supervision, and instructional quality, providing actionable insights for school leaders, policymakers, and teacher education programs to foster sustainable and effective teaching practices in Philippine public schools.

Abstract School attendance and absenteeism are critical targets of educational and health‐based policies and practices that often depend heavily on attendance/absenteeism and related construct data. At the same time, the quality of school attendance/absenteeism and related data has come under substantial scrutiny and criticism in recent years, particularly with respect to measurement, utilization, context and interoperability. The development of a common, valid and cost‐effective measure of school attendance/absenteeism to address these limitations would thus be desirable. This article initially provides a brief review and critique of contemporary systemic and analytic measurement strategies related to school attendance/absenteeism and related constructs. Issues of comparability and variability across professional disciplines and countries/regions are raised, along with a suggestion for the formulation of a next‐generation common assessment measure of school attendance/absenteeism and related constructs that emphasizes accessibility and feasibility. A set of principles and possible domains for next‐generation common measurement are then presented. This includes a discussion of dimensionality regarding definition, achievement and engagement, functional impairment, interoperability across multiple sources and agencies, and ease of measurement. Finally, a potential roadmap for item and scale development and evaluation is presented to enhance the utility of a common measure across multiple agencies and areas. The article is not meant to be the final word regarding the measurement of school attendance/absenteeism and related constructs, but rather a potential blueprint for developing a common, brief measure that may be useful and modifiable across multiple agencies, jurisdictions and geographical areas. Context and implications Rationale: Recent changes in education present a unique opportunity to critically reflect and explore new approaches to conceptualizing and thus measuring and utilizing school attendance/absenteeism and domain‐related data. Why this matters: School attendance and absenteeism are critical targets of educational and health‐based policies and practices that often depend heavily on attendance/absenteeism and related construct data. Implications for interest‐holders: A common measure of school attendance/absenteeism must meet not only psychometric standards but also the additional challenge of acceptability to an enormous group of participants with divergent educational, scientific, legal, economic and political views.

Teachers’ managerial competence plays a crucial role in ensuring effective and relevant learning, particularly in vocational education. Teachers are required not only to master subject matter but also to plan, manage, and evaluate learning through well-structured and contextual learning tools. This Community Service activity aimed to strengthen teachers’ managerial competence through training on the development of learning tools using a deep learning approach at SMK Muhammadiyah 2 Tangerang Selatan. The implementation method included conceptual material delivery, practical training, and mentoring in designing learning tools. The deep learning approach was applied to encourage learning designs that emphasize deep understanding, critical and reflective thinking, and alignment with workplace demands. The results showed an improvement in teachers’ understanding and skills in developing more systematic, innovative, and adaptive learning tools aligned with 21st-century competencies. This activity contributed positively to strengthening teachers’ roles as learning managers and supporting the improvement of learning quality in vocational schools.

Quality of schools and inequalities in access: A socio-territorial analysis

Food insecurity can affect children's diet quality and academic achievement. This study was conducted to determine children's experiences of food insecurity and to examine its impact on diet quality and academic achievement in a public secondary school. The study was conducted from October 2023 to February 2024 with 168 volunteer children. Descriptive information, food consumption frequency and retrospective 24-h food consumption records of the children were obtained by the investigator. Anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist and mid-upper-arm circumference) were also recorded. The children were asked to complete the Child Food Insecurity Experiences Scale. Their end-of-semester grades were obtained from the school principal. Diet quality was determined according to the Healthy Eating Index (HIE-20). IBM SPSS Statistics 22 was used for data analysis and the significance level was set at p < 0.05. At the end of the study, 76% of the children were found to experience food insecurity. No child had good diet quality according to the HEI-20 score. Saturated fat consumption was higher among children experiencing food insecurity than among those with no experiences of food insecurity (p = 0.042). Among the girls, intake of added sugars was significantly higher in those experiencing food insecurity. The mean mathematics and science scores and end-of-semester grades of children experiencing food insecurity were significantly lower than those of children with no experiences of food insecurity (p = 0.005, p = 0.0013, p = 0.007, respectively). An increase of 1 point in the food insecurity score caused a decrease of 1.877 points in mathematics, 1.094 points in science, 1.373 points in social sciences and 0.918 points in the final grade (p < 0.05). Increasing children's access to healthy diets is critical to support their academic success. Therefore, school feeding programmes need to be improved and policies and interventions to reduce food insecurity need to be implemented.

The rapid advancement of information and communication technologies has made digital transformation a strategic imperative in educational management. Schools must adapt their management systems to enhance efficiency, transparency, and educational quality in the digital era. This study examines digital transformation strategies in educational management with a focus on innovation and school quality improvement. A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing a literature review approach. Data were collected from national and international journal articles, academic books, and policy documents published within the last ten years and analyzed using thematic content analysis. The findings indicate that digital transformation in schools constitutes a comprehensive organizational change involving leadership, institutional culture, human resource competencies, and data-driven decision-making. The case of MTsN 1 Kota Makassar illustrates that integrating learning management systems, digital administrative services, and data-based management significantly enhances operational efficiency, transparency, and learning flexibility. Nevertheless, challenges such as disparities in digital competencies and infrastructure limitations persist. Overall, the study emphasizes that sustainable digital transformation requires a systemic, multi-level strategy aligned with leadership commitment, continuous professional development, and supportive policy frameworks to effectively improve school quality. Keywords: Digital Transformation; Educational Management; School Quality; Innovation; Learning Management Systems.

Work-Based Competency Testing (Uji Kompetensi Keahlian/UKK) plays a strategic role in ensuring the competence and quality of vocational high school (SMK) graduates. However, the implementation of UKK in Light Vehicle Body Engineering programs often faces challenges, particularly the limited and suboptimal involvement of the world of work, which reduces the relevance of competency standards to industry needs. This study aims to analyze the management of work-based competency testing in vocational schools and to examine how industry involvement is integrated into each management stage. This research employed a qualitative approach using a case study design conducted at SMKN 8 Bandung and SMKN 14 Bandung. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, direct observations, and documentation studies. The data were analyzed using an interactive model consisting of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that work-based UKK management is systematically implemented through the stages of planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating, with active participation from industry partners. Industry involvement from the initial planning phase to the final evaluation stage enhances the alignment between competency testing and industry standards, increases the credibility of the certification process, and contributes to improving graduate quality. The study concludes that effective work-based competency test management strengthens the link and match between vocational education and industry demands.

ABSTRACT Using survey data from almost 120,000 primary and secondary school students in a major Chinese city, this study examines how family background and school environment shape scientific literacy. We combine standardised test scores with rich contextual information and employ multiple linear regressions, heterogeneity analyses, and Structural Equation Modelling. The results show that both family and school backgrounds significantly influence scientific literacy, with school quality exerting the stronger effect. These impacts vary across scientific skill dimensions and student ability levels, revealing strong complementarity between school resources and student achievement. The findings underscore the importance of improving school environments, supporting low-achieving students, and strengthening family – school cooperation to foster scientific competency.

Basic education is a crucial foundation for a child's academic journey. Amidst the dynamics of the 21st century, dominated by technological advancements and global challenges—from climate change to health crises—the ability to understand and apply scientific concepts is vital. Scientific literacy is not simply the ability to memorize formulas or the names of planets, but rather the capacity to think critically, evaluate evidence-based information, and make logical decisions in everyday life. Changes in parental preferences in choosing elementary schools in Sungai Seluang Village are important to study because they indicate a trend of increasing interest in private schools compared to public schools, in line with the national trend of decreasing public school enrollment. This study primarily aims to examine factors influencing parental decisions, including comparing views on the quality of public and private schools, identifying barriers to accessing information, and assessing the influence of school location. The method used is a qualitative approach (case study) with data collection through interviews, observation, and documentation, then analyzed through data reduction, data presentation, and drawing conclusions, accompanied by triangulation for validity testing. The results show that the dominant factors influencing parental choices include teaching quality, facilities, access to information, perceptions of security, and school distance, and these findings are directed to support the development of more responsive local education policies.

Primary dysmenorrhea (PD) affects up to 80% of adolescent girls, significantly impacting their school attendance and quality of life. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the efficacy of physiotherapeutic interventions, including acupressure, massage, exercise, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), in managing PD among adolescents. Following PRISMA guidelines and utilizing the PICO framework, a comprehensive search was conducted across four electronic databases (Scopus, PubMed, Medline, and Cochrane Library) and grey literature for English-language randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published between May 2000 and May 2025. Ten RCTs involving 1,496 participants met the inclusion criteria, focusing on adolescents aged 10–19 years with PD. Pain reduction, measured using visual analogue scale (VAS) and numerical rating scale (NRS), was the primary outcome, with significant improvements observed across most interventions. A meta-analysis supported the effectiveness of these therapies, though heterogeneity in study designs and interventions was noted. The findings suggest that physiotherapy is a promising non-pharmacological approach for PD management, with potential benefits for both physical and psychological health. However, the findings should be interpreted with caution due to study heterogeneity and moderate methodological quality. Further high-quality trials are recommended to strengthen the evidence base and guide clinical practice. Trial Registration Number: PROSPERO 2025 CRD420251074405.

The psychological environment of a school has been widely recognized as a critical determinant of students’ motivation, engagement, and academic achievement. Although international research has consistently demonstrated the importance of teacher support, emotional safety, social relationships, and classroom climate in shaping learning outcomes, empirical evidence from the Indonesian senior high school context remains limited. This study examines the relationship between the school psychological environment and academic achievement among Grade 10 students in public senior high schools in Banten Province, Indonesia. A quantitative correlational design was employed, involving a purposive sample of 49 students from nine senior high schools. The school psychological environment was assessed using a five-point Likert-scale questionnaire, while academic achievement was measured using documented semester-based average scores in Mathematics and Indonesian language. Data were analyzed using tests of normality and linearity, Spearman’s rho correlation, and inferential t-tests. The findings indicate that the school psychological environment was perceived as generally positive, whereas students’ academic achievement predominantly fell within the moderate range. The Spearman’s rho analysis revealed a strong and statistically significant positive association between the school psychological environment and academic achievement (ρ = 0.531, p &lt; 0.001). This relationship was further supported by the t-test results (t = 5.49, p &lt; 0.05), leading to the rejection of the null hypothesis. These results suggest that a more supportive and psychologically conducive school environment is associated with higher student academic achievement. However, the predominance of moderate learning outcomes indicates the influence of additional factors beyond the psychological environment. Theoretically, this study contributes to the literature on school climate and academic achievement in developing educational contexts. Practically, the findings underscore the importance of strengthening teacher support, emotional safety, social relationships, and school policies to enhance learning quality in Indonesian senior high schools, particularly in the Banten region.

This study analyses household out-of-pocket expenditure (OOPE) on primary education in Tripura, highlighting socio-economic and demographic disparities in educational spending. Using primary household data, variations in expenditure are examined across gender, residence, housing condition, social category, mother’s occupation, and private tuition status. The findings reveal persistent inequalities: households spend more on male students, urban children, economically better-off families, and those belonging to socially advantaged groups. Mother’s occupation, particularly government employment, significantly influences educational spending, underscoring the importance of women’s economic empowerment. Households not opting for private tuition report higher overall expenditure, indicating substitution between formal schooling quality and supplementary coaching. The study concludes that educational expenditure in Tripura is shaped by income, gender norms, social identity, residential location, and parental employment. Despite public education schemes, affordability remains a key challenge for disadvantaged households, emphasizing the need to strengthen public education, expand targeted financial support, and promote gender-equitable investment to achieve inclusive and quality education under SDG 4.

This study aims to determine the leadership strategies of school principals in improving the performance and discipline of teachers at Madrasah Ibtidaiyah Salafiyah Syafiiyah Hadirul Ulum Tasikrejo Pemalang, Central Java, as well as to identify the supporting and inhibiting factors when these leadership strategies are implemented. This study uses field research with a descriptive approach. The data collected was verbal data or words rather than numbers. The location of this research was at MI Salafiyah Syafi'iyah Hadirul Ulum Tasikrejo, Pemalang Regency. The informants in this study were the principal and classroom teachers. The data collection techniques used were observation, interviews, and documentation. The results of the study found by the researcher regarding the principal's strategy in improving teacher performance and discipline at MI Salafiyah Syafi'iyah Hadirul Ulum Tasikrejo, Pemalang Regency, are as follows: (a) conducting supervision (b) setting an example (c) motivating teaching staff (d) providing adequate facilities and infrastructure (e) providing opportunities to attend training or education (f) conducting evaluations. Meanwhile, the supporting and inhibiting factors are divided into several parts. First, there are two supporting factors, namely (a) a sense of togetherness and kinship within the school environment, and (b) the principal's commitment to improving school quality. Meanwhile, there are two inhibiting factors, namely (a) the suboptimal time management of teachers and (b) the work environment. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the principal's leadership strategy plays a very important role in improving the performance and discipline of teachers at MI Salafiyah Syafi'iyah Hadirul Ulum Tasikrejo, Pemalang Regency. The implementation of appropriate strategies, supported by a sense of togetherness and the principal's commitment, can have a positive impact on teacher professionalism. However, there are still several inhibiting factors that need attention so that the implementation of leadership strategies can run more optimally.

This study explores the principal’s leadership strategies and the role of organizational climate in improving teacher work discipline. Teacher discipline is a crucial element in ensuring instructional quality, professional accountability, and sustainable school performance. A qualitative case study approach was employed to obtain an in-depth understanding of leadership practices implemented in the natural setting of the school. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and document analysis involving the principal, vice principals, and teachers. The findings reveal that discipline improvement is shaped by exemplary leadership, dialogic communication, continuous coaching, and the application of humanistic regulations supported by moral and social rewards. In addition, a collegial and supportive organizational climate strengthens collective awareness and encourages teachers to comply with professional standards voluntarily. Discipline is therefore constructed not merely through administrative control but through shared values and social interaction. This study contributes to educational leadership literature by providing contextual evidence of how leadership practices interact with organizational environments in shaping teacher behavior. Practically, the findings offer guidance for school leaders in designing participatory and sustainable discipline development strategies.

Career decision-making at the secondary school level represents a critical developmental juncture with lasting implications for educational and occupational trajectories. This integrative review synthesizes global and Indian research published between 1983 and 2025 to examine how household education expenditure, parenting style, and self-perception influence career decision-making, with specific attention to gender and urban–rural disparities. Employing an integrated review design that combines systematic search procedures with thematic and narrative synthesis, over sixty peer-reviewed studies from Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were analyzed. Findings indicate that household education expenditure structures access to quality schooling, supplementary learning resources, and career information, thereby shaping opportunity pathways and reinforcing socio-economic inequalities, particularly in rural and marginalized contexts. Parenting style emerges as a central psychosocial determinant: autonomy-supportive and authoritative practices enhance career exploration and career decision-making self-efficacy, whereas controlling patterns constrain adolescent agency. Self-perception especially self-esteem and perceived competence functions as a mediating mechanism linking family context to career planning confidence. Persistent gender norms and urban–rural disparities further condition these relationships through differential investment patterns, exposure to guidance systems, and institutional access. Despite expanding scholarship, significant gaps remain, including limited longitudinal and mixed-methods research, insufficient region-specific evidence within India, and underdeveloped integrated theoretical frameworks. Empirical evaluation of career guidance reforms under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 remains scarce. Future research should prioritize interaction-based and longitudinal designs and micro-level regional studies, while policy must strengthen equity-oriented counseling systems, expand trained guidance personnel in underserved areas, and promote autonomy-supportive parental engagement to ensure inclusive and informed career development.

ABSTRACT Schools are interactive structures where many dynamics coexist. The interaction of each dynamic in this structure with the others is also an important factor affecting the effectiveness and quality of the educational organization. In this study, we focused on the dynamics influencing the school. In this line, this study aims to examine the mediating role of school culture in the relationship between organizational justice and leader-member exchange. The study employed a correlational design to investigate the relationships among the study variables. We gathered data from 429 teachers with various characteristics to test the model. We tested four hypotheses in the study and obtained the following results: (1) Perceived organizational justice has a positive effect on leader-member exchange, (2) Organizational justice positively affects and enhances school culture, (3) School culture contributes positively to leader-member exchange and enhances the quality of communication, (4) School culture mediates the relationship between organizational justice and leader-member exchange. The results highlight that strengthening the organizational culture of schools and increasing teachers’ perceptions of justice will positively contribute to the effectiveness and quality of schools.

ABSTRACT Home equity represents the largest component of wealth for households in the US. The accurate estimation of home values is important for different sectors of the economy. The current study develops a new method – grouped generalized ordered probit (GGOP) model – for examining the impact of independent variables on single-family home values. The proposed methodology is developed using home property value data for the greater Orlando region from 2013 to 2022. The host of independent variables considered include structural characteristics, demographic characteristics, land use characteristics, transportation infrastructure characteristics, and temporal characteristics. The model estimation process includes the estimation of a GGOP model, spatial lag GGOP and spatial error GGOP models. The spatial lag model offers significantly improved fit compared to other models. The independent variables such as parcel area, living area, number of bathrooms, population, median income, number of jobs, school quality, proximity to downtown, distance to SunRail stations and year of analysis significantly affect single-family home values in the Greater Orlando region. The model results were validated using data not considered for estimation. An elasticity analysis was also conducted to offer insights on independent variable impact magnitudes. The model findings can be employed to quantify property tax revenues for new developments and homeowner/ community losses in the event of natural disasters.