ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) PREPAREDNESS ON THE CHANGE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES OF PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOL HEADS IN REGION III: BASIS FOR A DIGITAL LEADERSHIP CAPACITY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM AND FRAMEWORK DEVELOPMENT

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education requires not only technological infrastructure but also robust leadership readiness to manage organizational transitions. This study investigated the impact of AI preparedness on the change-management strategies of 383 public secondary school heads in Region III, the Philippines. Using a quantitative-correlational design, the study assessed levels of preparedness and effectiveness as perceived by school heads and 842 teachers. Findings reveal that school heads maintain a "High" level of overall AI preparedness (Weighted Mean = 3.97), with the highest readiness observed in Change Management Readiness and Strategy (WM = 4.29) and the lowest in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Continuous Improvement (WM = 3.19). The overall effectiveness of change management strategies was rated as "Highly Effective" by both school heads (WM = 4.34) and teachers (WM = 4.32), showing no statistically significant difference (p = 0.599) in their perceptions. A strong positive correlation was established between AI preparedness and the effectiveness of change management (r = .752, p < .01), indicating that higher leadership readiness significantly predicts more successful institutional shifts. Despite these successes, the study identified "Insufficient technological resources" (Mean = 4.15) and "Limited knowledge about AI" (Mean = 4.08) as serious problems encountered during implementation. Consequently, the "Digital Leadership Capacity Enhancement Program" (Project LEAD-AI) is proposed to address these gaps, focusing on infrastructure sustainability and ethical AI policy.