The role of teacher professional capital in developing distributed leadership: evidence from a centralized system

Purpose This study aims to uncover the role of teacher professional capital (PC) in developing distributed leadership (DL) practices at Turkish public schools. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts a sequential explanatory mixed-methods research design. The quantitative phase included a stratified sample of 394 teachers. The qualitative findings reflected the insights of six purposefully selected school principals from the same research site. Findings The results revealed a strong and positive relationship between teachers’ PC and DL. Notably, PC scores significantly predicted 76% of the variance in DL practices. Qualitative findings highlighted the importance of trust-based leadership, shared responsibility and support for teacher development, alongside structural and cultural barriers. Leadership styles, teacher agency and school culture emerged as key contextual factors shaping the enactment of DL. Originality/value The paper expands the existing knowledge base regarding the role of teacher PC in promoting DL practices in centralized educational systems. Incorporating perspectives from both educators and administrators within the school offers valuable insights to policymakers, practitioners and researchers.