Inclusive School Leadership Styles and Practices in Public Elementary Schools

Inclusive school leadership plays a vital role in ensuring equitable and effective implementation of inclusive education in public schools. This study examined the inclusive school leadership styles and practices of public elementary school heads in Region I as perceived by school heads and teachers. Using a descriptive–correlational research design, data were collected from 50 school heads and 50 teachers through a validated questionnaire measuring the level of manifestation of leadership styles, level of implementation of inclusive leadership practices, and challenges encountered in implementation. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools, including weighted mean, Pearson Product–Moment Correlation, Spearman Rank-Order Correlation, and independent samples t-test, were employed in the analysis. Results revealed that transformational, transactional, democratic, and gender-responsive leadership styles were very highly manifested, while autocratic leadership was moderately manifested. Both school heads and teachers perceived the level of implementation of inclusive school leadership practices as very high across all dimensions, including equity and fairness, collaboration and shared decision-making, cultural and linguistic inclusivity, and support for learners with diverse needs. No statistically significant differences were found between the perceptions of school heads and teachers. Challenges encountered in implementation were rated as moderately serious. The findings suggest that a balanced integration of inspirational, structured, participatory, and equity-oriented leadership practices contributes to the effective implementation of inclusive education. The study provides empirical evidence to inform leadership development programs and policy initiatives aimed at strengthening inclusive school leadership in public elementary schools.