Innovative Educational Leadership: Enhancing Institutional Quality Amid Leadership Transition

Abstract

This mixed-methods descriptive-correlational study examined innovative educational leadership during leadership transitions and its impact on institutional quality at the basic education level. The study addressed how innovative, adaptive, and distributed leadership approaches enhance educational delivery, influence institutional outcomes such as student enrollment, teacher retention, and facility development, and the challenges leaders face during periods of transition. Data were collected from teachers, parents, and school leaders using structured surveys and semi-structured interviews, analyzed through weighted means, Spearman’s rank correlation, and thematic analysis. Results indicated that technology integration and mentorship programs significantly improved educational quality, while stakeholder engagement in decision-making remained limited. Leadership transitions strongly affected human resource planning and facility development but showed minimal direct impact on student enrollment. Significant positive correlations were found between innovative leadership and teacher retention (very strong), as well as enrollment and facility development (strong). Major challenges included resistance to change, resource limitations, communication barriers, and leadership experience gaps. Based on findings, the Leadership Transition and Innovation Program (LTIP) was developed to enhance stakeholder engagement, leadership continuity, and institutional stability.