Distributed Leadership Practices and School–Community Linkages Among Elementary School Principals
Keywords:
Distributed Leadership, Shared Decision-Making, Community Linkages, Elementary School Principals, School–Community Partnerships, Educational LeadershipAbstract
This study examined the role of distributed leadership in strengthening school–community linkages among elementary school principals in District 2 of the Schools Division of Sipalay City, Philippines. Specifically, it assessed the extent to which principals demonstrated distributed leadership across the dimensions of bounded empowerment, developing leadership, shared decision-making, and collective engagement, and explored how these practices were associated with community linkages in terms of partnership building, social interaction, and management-related collaboration. A descriptive–correlational research design was employed using validated survey questionnaires administered to 45 teachers and 40 community stakeholders. Data were analyzed using appropriate descriptive and correlational statistics to determine the patterns and relationships between the study variables. Findings indicated that distributed leadership practices were evident across the participating schools and were associated with stronger school–community linkages. The results underscore the importance of participatory leadership in fostering collaborative relationships among school personnel, parents, local officials, and other stakeholders. Based on the findings, a School Leadership and Linkages Enhancement Program was proposed to further strengthen shared leadership practices and promote sustainable community engagement in elementary schools. The study contributes to the growing body of literature on educational leadership by highlighting the value of distributed leadership in improving school–community relations within the local educational context.
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