Visionary Leadership among School Heads in a Province in the Philippines: A Convergent Parallel Mixed Methods Research

Abstract

This study examined the visionary leadership of school heads in a province in the Philippines using a convergent parallel mixed methods research design. The study aimed to determine the level of visionary leadership of school heads in general and when grouped according to sex, age, highest educational attainment, years of service, and plantilla position, determine whether significant differences exist in visionary leadership across profile variables, and explore how school heads demonstrate visionary leadership in managing and governing their schools. Quantitative data were gathered from 173 school heads in public elementary, secondary, and integrated schools through a researcher-adapted Visionary Leadership Scale, while qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with six purposively selected school heads. Descriptive and inferential statistics, including mean, standard deviation, Mann–Whitney U test, and Kruskal–Wallis H test, were used for quantitative analysis, while thematic analysis was utilized for qualitative data. Findings revealed that school heads demonstrated a very high level of visionary leadership overall. Significant differences were found when grouped according to sex, age, years in service, and plantilla position, while no significant difference was observed in terms of educational attainment. Qualitative findings showed that school heads demonstrated visionary leadership through clear articulation of school vision, strategic alignment of programs, stakeholder motivation, participatory governance, and proactive management practices. The study concluded that visionary leadership is a critical dimension of effective school governance and organizational improvement.