Predicting Curriculum Fidelity: The Role of Individualized Consideration in Public Secondary School Leadership

Abstract

This quantitative study investigated the predictive relationship between transformational leadership practices and curriculum fidelity among all public secondary school heads and teachers within the Guimba District, Nueva Ecija.
Methodology: Employing a descriptive-correlational research design, data were collected from a sample of 9 school heads and 90 teachers. Transformational leadership was evaluated across four dimensions (Idealized Influence, Inspirational Motivation, Intellectual Stimulation, and Individualized Consideration), while curriculum fidelity was measured through five components (Adherence, Exposure, Quality of Delivery, Participant Responsiveness, and Program Differentiation). Data were analyzed using ANOVA and stepwise multiple regression analysis.
Key Findings: Descriptive results revealed that Idealized Influence achieved the highest mean score among leadership dimensions, indicating that school heads are widely perceived as trusted role models. Within curriculum fidelity, Adherence ranked highest, reflecting a strong organizational emphasis on aligning school operations with national standards. While demographic variations in curriculum fidelity were initially observed based on civil status and experience, ANOVA confirmed that the most significant difference emerged when respondents were categorized by their organizational position (p = 0.001).
Regression Results and Conclusion: The overall regression model was statistically robust, explaining 80.4% of the variance in curriculum fidelity (R2 = 0.804, p = 0.032). At a 95% confidence level, stepwise multiple regression identified Individualized Consideration as the singular, statistically significant predictor of curriculum fidelity (β = 0.895, p = 0.009). These findings demonstrate that personalized support, coaching, and mentoring provided by school heads are the most critical drivers of faithful curriculum implementation. Consequently, targeted professional development focusing on individualized consideration is highly recommended to sustain high-quality curriculum execution across the district's public secondary schools.