This study investigates the impact of servant leadership on teacher collaboration and the overall quality of education in selected rural secondary schools in South Africa. Despite various policy reforms, these institutions continue to confront challenges such as limited resources, inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortages, and socio-economic constraints, which exacerbate the educational disparity between rural and urban areas. Servant leadership, characterised by empathy, humility, trust, and empowerment, is acknowledged as a relational and ethical approach that prioritises the well-being and professional development of both educators and learners. Adopting a qualitative case study methodology, the research examined six public primary schools across three provinces, involving six principals and six teachers through semi-structured interviews. Thematic analysis indicated that servant leadership fosters supportive and psychologically safe environments, enhances teacher motivation, and promotes collaboration via shared decision-making, mentorship, and Professional Learning Communities. Nonetheless, structural and relational challenges, such as heavy workloads, insufficient infrastructure, limited digital access, and low levels of trust, impede sustained collaboration. The study concludes that while servant leadership is essential for enhancing teacher engagement and collective efficacy, its full impact is realised only when accompanied by intentional systemic support, professional development, and investment in resources, thereby offering practical guidance for policy, leadership training, and school improvement in rural contexts.

ABSTRACT Rural South African schools face systemic underperformance due to infrastructural deficits, resource scarcity, and socio-economic adversity. This qualitative study investigates principals’ application of transformational leadership to turn around underperforming schools. A phenomenological design captured the lived experiences of five purposively selected principals from historically disadvantaged Quintile 1 secondary schools in Limpopo and North-West provinces. In-depth semi-structured interviews explored leadership challenges and strategies, with data analyzed through thematic analysis. The participants reported profound challenges: 1) Emotional exhaustion from relentless pressure; 2) Departmental abandonment with minimal oversight; 3) Hostility from staff/communities, including threats to safety; 4) Dysfunctional school cultures marked by financial mismanagement. Despite these challenges, they enacted transformational leadership through i) idealized influence (modeling transparency, adherence to rules, and personal accountability); ii) inspirational motivation (building morale via communal activities like shared meals); iii) intellectual stimulation (implementing peer-teaching programs among students); and iv) individualized consideration (mentoring struggling teachers through peer support networks). The participating principals in this small, context-specific sample demonstrated ways in which transformational leadership principles can support school improvement amidst extreme constraints. The findings underscore the critical need for contextual leadership development programs and robust departmental support systems to sustain turnaround initiatives. The study contributes practical strategies for educational equity in resource-scarce environments.

The review analyses educational difficulties alongside teaching possibilities that arise within Timor-Leste's primary school mathematics education. Many barriers obstruct effective mathematics teaching despite extensive school improvement initiatives, such as creating problems with unqualified teachers and limited educational resources, which make student understanding complex because of language barriers. The post-conflict recovery context of Timor-Leste presents more difficulties for the educational system because it has damaged the school infrastructure and teacher development processes. Recent structures of curriculum reform target the modernisation of teaching techniques with peer collaborative initiatives that support educator professional development as administrative forces advance mother tongue-based educational programs for increased student comprehension through native language instruction. This review combines information from various studies about the current mathematics education status of Timor-Leste, which helps policy leaders and education professionals gain important knowledge. The mathematics education system of Timor-Leste requires special interventions that combine competent teacher training with appropriate financial resources to support teachers in resolving existing difficulties while utilising language effectively for developmental gains

This study examines how strategic leadership orientations and managerial decisions shape the performance of supervisory personnel in Islamic Senior High Schools in Palembang, Indonesia. Employing an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) approach (Smith et al., 2009) and grounded in qualitative inquiry principles (Creswell & Creswell, 2017), the research uncovers how supervisors interpret leadership expectations, negotiate structural constraints, and enact their roles in everyday practice. Data were generated through semi-structured interviews, field observations, and document review involving supervisory stakeholders at School Y. Findings reveal four key dynamics: (1) supervision planning is consistently initiated through early-year coordination, yet implementation fluctuates due to prioritization shifts and operational overload; (2) coaching occurs through school visitations and mentoring, but remains primarily administrative rather than pedagogical; (3) structural limitations, including inadequate competency-based recruitment, aging workforce profiles, and uneven professional development access, weaken supervisory agility; and (4) supervisors actively engage in adaptive meaning-making, self-learning, and informal peer collaboration to compensate for systemic constraints. The study concludes that effective supervisory development requires strengthened regulatory governance, sustained curriculum-based competency training, and strategic specialization of supervisory roles. Enhancing these mechanisms will enable supervisors to transition from compliance enforcers to instructional leaders capable of driving meaningful school improvement. The results contribute theoretically to supervisory governance within Islamic education and offer practical reform pathways for leadership-based supervision enhancement in Indonesian secondary schools.

High school education quality assessment holistically evaluates student development, teaching effectiveness, and curriculum implementation. It integrates academic performance with core competencies like critical thinking. This comprehensive process involves multiple stakeholders to inform school improvement and ensure education aligns with broader developmental goals for every learner. The technology-enabled general high school education quality evaluation is multiple attribute group decision making (MAGDM). In this paper, the 2-tuple linguistic neutrosophic number (2TLNN) grey relational analysis (GRA) method (2TLNN-GRA) is constructed based on GRA and 2-tuple linguistic neutrosophic sets (2TLNSs). The 2TLNN-GRA method is constructed for solving the MAGDM problem. Finally, the numerical example for technology-enabled general high school education quality evaluation is constructed with some comparative analysis.

Purpose In this study, we examined the experiences of 10 new coaches who participated in the leadership coaching community (LCC), a professional community designed to integrate coaching education and improvement science. Improvement coaching, an approach that blends leadership coaching with improvement science, aims to foster adaptive problem-solving and drive systemic change in schools. Yet preparing new improvement coaches presents a persistent challenge: the knowing–doing gap. Without targeted coaching education that connects theory to practice, emerging coaches can struggle to apply strategies effectively. Through formal instruction and school-based application, the LCC helped develop improvement coaches who were both reflective leaders and skilled practitioners equipped to guide others to lead sustained change in schools. Design/Methodology/Approach In this qualitative study, we analyzed semi-structured interviews conducted over two summers to capture the experiences of coaches who developed coaching competencies, applied learning and navigated challenges in becoming improvement coaches. Our conceptual framework and data analysis aligned affective, cognitive and behavioral learning theories as key mechanisms for bridging the knowing–doing gap. Findings Combining leadership coaching with improvement science, the program equipped new coaches with practical tools and the confidence to guide school leaders in identifying problems of practice and leading school improvement. Structured coaching education helped new improvement coaches, who were experienced school and district leaders, coach less experienced school leaders in rural contexts. The structured initiative aided them in moving from understanding coaching concepts to applying them in practice. Coaches moved beyond mere conceptual understanding of coaching and improvement science to become confident, skillful practitioners, effectively bridging the knowing–doing gap. Research limitations/implications This study highlights the value of coaching education that engages adult learning theory to help new coaches bridge the knowing–doing gap. Structured programs like the LCC, which combine formal instruction, deliberate practice and peer reflection, support the transition from directive to facilitative coaching. Integrating improvement science equips coaches with tools to lead change and address problems of practice. The study also advances the emerging concept of improvement coaching and points to the need for continued research on how best to prepare reflective, adaptive leaders through coaching education. Practical implications These findings offer insights for designing coaching education programs that produce effective improvement coaches who strengthen school leadership and support sustained school change. Originality/Value We integrate leadership coaching with improvement science to foster adaptive problem-solving and systemic change within schools. New improvement coaches often struggle to translate theory into practice, resulting in a knowing–doing gap that undermines their effectiveness. By addressing this gap through improvement coaching education, we can foster meaningful change in schools while enhancing coaches’ sense of efficacy. Despite its importance, improvement coaching education remains a relatively rare and under-researched element within the broader field of leadership coaching in schools.

This study explores the effect of waiver school improvement designations on student achievement. In states that received waivers, schools designated for improvement had worse outcomes than undesignated schools (−0.044 SD). The average effect obscures the significant positive effect of the designations in 14 of the 44 states that received waivers. Federal per pupil education funding accounted for half of the effect of waiver school improvement designations on student achievement. These results reinforce the importance of providing additional resources to support school improvement, particularly for post-pandemic school improvement policy.

The focus of this research is to basically describe and discover the concept of Islamic boarding school management based on the development of facilities and infrastructure in the management of thejauharul Falah Al-Islami Islamic boarding school in Sungai Terap Kumpeh Ulu Muaro Jambi. A significant problem is that no guidelines have been created to regulate the implementation of programs related to Islamic boarding school facilities and infrastructure. The descriptive-analytical approach in this research took three phases, namely: explanation of theory, description of facts in the field, analysis of the suitability between theory and practice. Data collection techniques use observation, interviews and documentation. Data analysis uses the Miles and Huberman model and data validity techniques use data triangulation. The research found that the development of facilities and infrastructure in the management of the Jauharul Falah Al-Islami Islamic Boarding School in Sungai Terap Kumpeh Ulu Muaro Jambi, starting from planning as the initial foundation and as an important point in determining the success or failure of a program, organization, implementation and supervision as a support for planning has not optimally followed modern management principles. This can be seen from the fact that there are no planning documents that are factually easy to access. The results of this research are the impact of the development of facilities and infrastructure on the quality of Islamic boarding school management, improvements and additions to facilities increase learning comfort, learning effectiveness, administrative efficiency, as well as the positive image of Islamic boarding schools in the eyes of the community, which has an impact on increasing the number of new student registrants.

This study aims to examine whether the implementation of the New Student Admission (Penerimaan Peserta Didik Baru [PPDB]) policy promotes equitable access to quality education in Indonesia. Using National Socio-Economic Survey (Susenas, 2015–2021) data, the study assesses changes in student mobility from low socioeconomic backgrounds, transportation costs to school, and participation of students with disabilities. Schoollevel National Examination scores from 2015 to 2019 were analyzed to assess changes in the distribution of learning outcomes before and after PPDB implementation. The findings indicate that PPDB has expanded access for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds by increasing enrollment in public schools and reducing transportation costs through proximity-based admissions. Disparities in learning outcomes across schools have narrowed over time; however, this reduction is primarily attributable to declining performance in previously high-performing schools rather than significant improvements in low-performing schools. Although PPDB provides a pathway for students with disabilities to enter public schools, its effectiveness in promoting disability inclusion remains limited, as school readiness and accessibility have not improved significantly. The results suggest that PPDB contributes to greater equity in access, but its success in sustaining learning quality and inclusive education requires complementary policies targeting school capacity, teacher preparedness, and inclusive infrastructure.

This study explored the lived experiences of school leaders in implementing School-Based Management at Washington National High School. using Collaizi’s phenomenological approach with transcribed semi-structured face-to-face interviews among participants who were school leaders in the Schools Division of Northern Samar. Six school leaders were selected through purposive sampling and as to their direct involvement in SBM Planning and implementation. It focused on how leaders planned, decided, and supported teacher performance within the school context. The study sought to understand how daily leadership practices aligned with School-Based Management goals and policy expectations. Data were gathered through semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. This study was anchored as supporting legislative works on Republic Act 9155, the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, and DepEd Order No. 007, s. 2024, which outlines the revised School-Based Management system. Moreover, this study was also in line with Goal Setting Theory and Functionalism Theory guiding data analysis and interpretation by linking leadership actions to school goals and system functions. Six emergent themes were derived from the study: (1) Collaborative Leadership, (2) Governance and Accountability, (3) Performance and Resource Management, (4) Community Partnerships, (5) Professional Development and School Improvement and (6) Overcoming Challenges. The emergent themes underscore the insights of the participants’ thoughts about SBM, and achievements in collaboration with the internal and external stakeholders. Results showed assessment systems guided school planning and informed shared decision-making. To meet the study aim, it was crucial to propose meaningful programs to strengthen quality assurance in school based management across the division. moreover, these programs must empower internal and external partners to build strong communities and support effective SBM practice. The study recommends sustained capacity building, structured data review, and continuous monitoring to improve teaching practices and overall school performance.

This study combines bibliometric performance and thematic analysis of the principal instructional leadership (PIL) research field using SciMAT. The analysis included 695 articles indexed on two reputable databases, Scopus and Web of Science (WoSCC), and offered a comparative and deeper understanding of the thematic evolution of the field across three periods of analysis between 1941 and 2024. The results showed that PIL, which was initially conceptualized as a top-down, directive leadership, evolved into a more indirect and integrated perspective of leadership, albeit maintaining the central role of the principal as the leader of leaders. The knowledge base of PIL evolved in the last 85 years from focusing on the instructional leadership roles of the principals as chief school administrators to the investigation of the roles of principals and teachers and finally to investigations with more integrated perspectives. This evolution parallels the evolution of leadership perspectives and models in the educational field broadly, and the increasing focus on leadership as key to school effectiveness and improvement.

This study investigates the implementation of academic supervision by school administrators as an approach to enhance teacher competency in primary schools of Pidie Jaya Regency, Indonesia. Although being mandated as a systematic approach to improve instructional quality, the execution of academic supervision in numerous institutions is inconsistent. Data were gathered utilizing a qualitative descriptive methodology through in-depth interviews, non-participant observations, and document analysis at SD Negeri 2 Meureudu and SD Negeri 13 Trienggadeng. The results indicate that academic supervision occurs in three primary phases: planning, implementation, and evaluation. Principals establish supervisory objectives, develop instruments, and create timetables according to instructor requirements. Implementation is monitored via classroom observations, coaching sessions, and professional support. The evaluation phase encompasses feedback provision, reflection, and subsequent programming. The research concludes that systematic and collaborative academic supervision substantially enhances teachers' educational, professional, social, and personal competencies. Enhancing supervisory techniques through enhanced principal competencies, systematic tools, and regular follow-up is crucial for improving instructional quality in elementary schools.

This research explored the correlation between managerial abilities, professional growth, and supervisory efficiency of school administrators in Iloilo Schools Division for school year 2024–2025. With a descriptive-correlational research design, data were collected from 264 public elementary and secondary school administrators via a validated researcher-developed questionnaire. The tool assessed three major dimensions: managerial abilities, engagement in professional development activities, and supervisory efficiency. Descriptive statistics indicated that the school heads exhibited high levels of managerial ability and supervisory effectiveness, as well as moderate to high levels of engagement in professional development activities. Pearson's correlation analysis indicated a strong positive correlation between managerial ability and supervisory effectiveness (r = 0.72), and a moderate positive correlation between professional development and supervisory effectiveness (r = 0.58). Multiple regression analysis also revealed that managerial competence was the best predictor of supervisory performance, followed by professional growth, with the model explaining 65% of the variance (R² = 0.65). The findings underscore the importance of leadership skills and ongoing learning to improve school heads' capacity to lead and support teachers. According to these conclusions, the research advises strengthening leadership development initiatives, enhanced access to professional development, and enhanced structural support for instructional supervision. The strategies will improve the capacity of school heads in leadership and help aggregate school improvement. The research also advises further investigation into contextual factors that impact school leadership effectiveness.

This study explored the potential of research-practice partnerships (RPPs) to advance the implementation of educational innovations. Amid the global pressure for school improvement, schools are driven to design and implement their own initiatives. We focused on two schools engaged in a research-focused RPP, where practitioners and academic researchers collaboratively examined schools’ innovative practices. Through within-case and cross-case analysis, we illustrate how involvement in school-research influenced schools’ decision-making. Findings from the school-based research prompted leaders to expand their initiatives. The cross-case analysis revealed distinct improvement pathways: one school focused on curricular development and pedagogical refinement, while the other implemented structural changes and provided targeted teacher support. For both schools, the RPP promoted practitioners’ professional development, encouraged evidence-based practice, and enhanced their school reputation. This study illustrates how RPPs can empower schools to use local evidence to foster context-specific improvements and instigate organizational change.

Inter-school collaboration is widely promoted as a catalyst for system improvement. However, the collaborative turn is rarely accompanied by detailed consideration of the contextual conditions that support or inhibit joint work of mutual benefit. The purpose of this research is to enhance understanding of the dynamics of inter-school collaboration. An ecological approach to professional agency is used to explore the relational dynamics of collaboration within a mandated school network. The analysis draws on in-depth interviews with 23 school leaders who participated in the introduction of a cluster-based model of school improvement in Wales. The findings draw attention to the iterative nature of trust building as school leaders manage endemic tensions between institutional self-interest and collective responsibility. The study signals a need for further research on multi-relational accountabilities if moves towards collaborative governance are to be sustained.

This study aimed to identify the leadership styles used by heads of public primary schools and their effects on teacher professionalism in Temeke District, Tanzania. Guided by the Behavioral Theory of Leadership (Lewin, Lippitt & White, 1939), the research explored how autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, and transformational leadership styles influence teacher behavior, motivation, and professional commitment. A qualitative research design, specifically a multiple case study, was adopted to allow for in-depth exploration of leadership practices across five selected schools. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, non-participant observation, and document review, and analyzed using content analysis techniques. The findings revealed that democratic leadership is the most prevalent, fostering collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility among teachers. However, autocratic leadership remains common in disciplinary and financial matters, often leading to reduced teacher morale and participation. A growing but inconsistent use of transformational leadership was also observed, showing potential for enhancing teacher motivation and professional growth. The study concludes that while head teachers exhibit adaptive leadership behaviors, inconsistencies in application undermine teacher confidence and professional development. It recommends that educational authorities strengthen leadership training programs focusing on democratic and transformational practices to ensure consistent, inclusive, and motivational leadership that supports teacher professionalism and school improvement.

Many countries around the world require some or all schools to develop and implement a school improvement plan (SIP), which is a tool intended to guide the identification of school-specific needs for improvement along with a series of priorities, goals, and actions to help address those needs. Yet, the literature on this topic remains rather sparse. In this article, we conducted a systematic review of the international literature on SIPs published from 2010 through 2025, identifying 62 relevant articles for analysis. We organized this review’s findings around six areas related to SIP development and implementation: assessing current conditions, determining needs, setting direction, organizing resources, taking action, and evaluating progress. Findings suggest that while divergences exist between contexts with respect to these six areas, there are considerable convergences in how educators and others conceptualize and interact with SIPs. We close with recommendations for future research that both strengthens and broadens the extant literature on SIPs.

School improvement is generally assessed by the extent to which several indicators show improvement over time. However, much less is known about the ways in which these indicators interact over time. This study analyses 10 years of school-level administrative data from over 896 elementary schools in Queensland, Australia, using a cross-lagged panel model to explore bidirectional associations among school improvement indicators. Descriptive statistics show net improvement over the decade on indicators of academic achievement and student attendance, and an increase in the use of exclusionary discipline. In the cross-lagged panel model, there were associations between unexplained absences and out-of-school suspensions with later declines in achievement data and satisfaction. There was some indication that the reverse was also true, with achievement associated with later non-achievement indicators, though these paths were less consistent. The findings point to potentially modifiable factors within the school context likely to enhance achievement over time.

The authors of this case study explored a five-year partnership between a university and Title I elementary school to address low teacher morale, school discipline, and academic achievement. The partnership facilitated school improvement through School-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS). Findings highlight how SWPBIS school improvement planning leveraged a continuum of support for teachers and students as the school progressed through Fixsen’s stages of implementation. In year three, the school experienced a significant decrease in office discipline referrals, suspension rates, and an increase in academic achievement. By year four the school was awarded state recognition as gold-level model school for systematic implantation across all three tiers of SWPBIS. Connections between coaching and technical assistance, social validity, fidelity of implementation and student outcomes are discussed.

This study addresses the challenge of sustaining effective primary school leadership in contexts of high accountability, limited resources, and staff turnover. The research examines how cultural intelligence, structured team dynamics, and strategic talent management can enhance leadership effectiveness and support school improvement. Drawing on a qualitative case study of a two-form entry primary school in Surrey, England, data were collected from performance management records, appraisal documentation, strategic planning documents, and leadership reflections. Thematic analysis identified how cultural alignment, collaborative structures, and internal talent pipelines improved staff engagement, retention, and professional growth. Findings show that leadership practices grounded in cultural intelligence and distributed responsibility fostered resilience, creativity, and collective efficacy among staff. The study contributes to the literature by demonstrating how these frameworks can be operationalized in primary schools. Practical implications include reevaluating inspection frameworks and leadership standards so they value cultural work, collaborative practice, and leadership-pipeline development as drivers of sustained school improvement.