Philippine E-Journals

Professional Characteristics and Instructional Leadership of School Heads: Their Relationship to the Implementation of Special Education (SPED) Program

LYNNE A. CIOCON

Discipline: Educational Management

 

Abstract:

This study sought to determine the relationship between the implementation of the Special Education Program and the school heads’ professional characteristics and instructional leadership. The researcher utilized a quantitative design. The study was conducted in the Schools Division of Cagayan, which consisted of 17 elementary schools having SPED programs. The study used complete enumeration for the school heads and teachers, while convenience sampling was done for the parents. Thus, there were 68 teacher-respondents, 85 parent-respondents, and 17 school heads, totaling 170 respondents. Descriptive statistics (frequency count, rank, percentage, and mean) were used to analyze the personal and professional profiles of the school heads as well as the level of transformational leadership of the school heads. Based on the findings, the school heads in the Schools Division of Cagayan are competent instructional leaders, which is translated into the high extent of implementation of the SPED program. Despite this, SPED teachers still need some support to enhance their competence further and improve the SPED program’s instructional delivery. The professional characteristics of the school heads do not influence their instructional leadership. However, the overall implementation of the SPED program is positively influenced by some professional characteristics of the school heads, such as educational attainment, plantilla position, length of service as school head, and length of service in a school with SPED program. Finally, the instructional leadership of the school heads has an impact on the extent of implementation of the SPED program, i.e., higher instructional leadership yields better implementation of the SPED program. It was recommended that the school heads sustain their high instructional leadership and high extent of implementation of the SPED program through the support, monitoring, and rewards/incentives given by higher authorities.