Innovative Leadership and Management Practices of Selected Public Schools from Remote Communities in Cavite: Framework for Strategic Action Planning

This study aimed to investigate the impact of innovative leadership on management practices in rural public schools in Cavite. With the evolving educational landscape influenced by globalization, technological advancements, and socio-economic changes, educational leadership now emphasizes adaptability, inclusivity, and innovation. The research focused on how school principals implement innovative leadership, particularly through the integration of technology and flexibility, and how these practices affect resource management and decision-making processes. The study sought to answer key questions in terms of the level of innovative leadership by principals in terms of technology use and flexibility, the degree of management practices in terms of resource management and decision-making, the relationship between innovative leadership and management practices, and what actions could be proposed to enhance the use of innovative leadership to improve these management practices. This study used a quantitative, descriptive-correlational design to explore the impact of innovative leadership on management practices in rural public schools in Cavite. The sample consisted of 40 teachers, determined through Raosoft's formula with a 95% confidence level and 5% margin of error. A Likert scale survey was used and tested for reliability, yielding a Cronbach alpha score of 0.812. The study focused on four key areas: innovative leadership (encompassing technology and flexibility) and management practices (including resource management and decision-making). Respondents strongly agreed that principals effectively integrated technology into school leadership, with a mean of 4.60, although the use of technology for communication received the lowest agreement (mean of 4.48). The composite mean for technology integration was 4.56. Regarding flexibility, principals were highly rated for addressing changing needs (mean of 4.65), while the least agreement was found in their willingness to adjust schedules or resources (mean of 4.50). The composite mean for flexibility was 4.57. In terms of resource management, respondents strongly agreed that principals allocated resources for professional development (mean of 4.54). However, the least agreement was for ensuring adequate teaching materials (mean of 4.48), with a composite mean of 4.50. For decision-making, the highest agreement was for principals' communication of reasons behind their decisions (mean of 4.70), while the lowest was for encouraging collaboration and ensuring timely and fair decisions (mean of 4.48). The composite mean for decision-making was 4.56. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive relationships between innovative leadership and management practices, with p-values less than 0.01, confirming the impact of innovative leadership on resource management and decision-making. The findings highlighted the importance of technology and flexibility in improving management practices and provided recommendations for enhancing leadership capabilities in rural schools.