Excellent Leadership in Sustaining Accredited Excellence: A Multi-Site Case Study of Public High Schools in Jakarta
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37134/bitara.vol18.2.20.2025Keywords:
Excellent leadership, School principals, Accredited excellence, Ethical leadership, Case studyAbstract
In Indonesia, public high schools that achieve “A” accreditation status are often regarded as models of educational excellence. However, sustaining this accredited excellence poses significant challenges due to shifting policies, growing complexity in school management, and the demand for continuous innovation. This study investigates how excellent leadership is practiced by principals of accredited excellent public high schools in Jakarta to sustain institutional quality over time. Using a qualitative multi-site case study design, data were collected from five senior high schools that have consistently maintained “A” accreditation status. The primary participants were school principals, supported by vice principals, senior teachers, and administrative staff. Data collection techniques included semi-structured interviews, non-participatory observations, and document analysis, with triangulation applied to ensure validity and trustworthiness. The findings reveal five interrelated dimensions of excellent leadership: (1) visionary and strategic leadership, (2) integrity and ethical role modeling, (3) collaborative and capacity-building leadership, (4) adaptive and systemic thinking, and (5) accountability and continuous improvement. These dimensions collectively demonstrate how principals not only comply with accreditation requirements but also embed sustainable practices that foster institutional resilience, teacher empowerment, and cultural legitimacy. The study concludes that sustaining accredited excellence requires leadership that is ethically grounded, strategically visionary, and adaptively systemic, supported by collaborative capacity-building and a culture of continuous improvement. Theoretically, the research contributes to leadership studies by conceptualizing excellent leadership as a synthesis of ethical, transformational, and distributed approaches. Practically, it highlights actionable strategies for policymakers, school leaders, and supervisory bodies to strengthen leadership capacity in sustaining school excellence.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Windi Megayanti, Mohd Faeez Ilias, Zulfitria, Azharuddin Hashim
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