Reframing School Headship through Strategic Responsiveness, Resource Stewardship, and Instructional Coherence

Abstract

This study assessed how strategic responsiveness and resource stewardship contributed to instructional coherence among school heads in Angadanan, Isabela. A cross-sectional explanatory survey design supported by partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed. The participants were 54 school heads, comprising 42 from the elementary level and 12 from the secondary level, selected through total sampling. Data were gathered using a validated 120-item researcher-developed questionnaire measuring strategic responsiveness, resource stewardship, and instructional coherence. Descriptive analysis showed high levels of strategic responsiveness (M = 3.99), resource stewardship (M = 4.02), and instructional coherence (M = 3.91). Adaptive decision-making emerged as the strongest dimension of strategic responsiveness, while accountability was strongest under resource stewardship. Professional learning alignment registered the lowest dimension mean within instructional coherence, indicating weaker connections among learner evidence, teacher development, application, and follow-up. Structural modeling showed that strategic responsiveness significantly contributed to instructional coherence (β = .34, p = .002), while resource stewardship produced a stronger contribution (β = .49, p < .001). Together, the two constructs explained 52.9% of the variance in instructional coherence (R² = .529), with positive predictive relevance (Q² = .318). The findings indicated that coherent instructional leadership depended not only on setting clear learning priorities but also on responsive decision-making and deliberate stewardship of personnel and resources. Strengthening anticipatory monitoring, personnel deployment, professional learning alignment, and curriculum-assessment coordination could further support integrated school leadership and sustained instructional improvement.