The impact of leadership styles on teacher performance and student outcomes
This study examined the impact of leadership styles on teacher performance and student outcomes in secondary schools in the Philippines. Data were collected from 28 school leaders, 84 teachers, and student performance records of 110 learners across both public and private institutions, withrespondents distributed across urban and rural contexts. Leadership styles were measured using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ), teacher performance was assessed through the Teacher Performance Appraisal Scale, and student outcomes were analyzed using achievement scores and engagement surveys. Findings revealed that transformational leadership was the most dominant style among principals (M = 3.89, SD = 0.45), followed by transactional leadership (M = 3.21, SD = 0.51), while laissez-faire leadership ranked lowest (M = 2.14, SD = 0.63). Correlation and regression analyses demonstrated that transformational leadership had a significant positive relationship with both teacher performance (r = .56, β = .48, p < .01) and student outcomes (r = .43, β = .39, p < .01). Transactional leadership was positively related to teacher performance (r = .29, β = .21, p < .05) but showed no significant predictive effect on student achievement. Conversely, laissez-faire leadership was negatively correlated with both teacher performance and student outcomes. ANOVA results further revealed that private school teachers reported higher instructional delivery scores than public school teachers (F(1,82) = 4.36, p < .05), while no significant differences were found between urban and rural schools in terms of student achievement. These findings suggest that transformational leadership plays a pivotal role in enhancing teacher commitment, instructional quality, and student achievement. The results highlight the importance of leadership development programs that emphasize inspirational and supportive leadership practices while discouraging passive, laissez-faire approaches. Policymakers and educational stakeholders should consider strengthening leadership training, resource allocation, and support systems to promote equitable and effective education across diverse school settings.