LEADERSHIP AND CONTEXTUAL DETERMINANTS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL EFFECTIVENESS: A CAUSAL STRUCTURAL MODEL

Authors

  • Terdkiet YAMSOPHA Doctor of Philosophy Program in Educational Administration, Pathumthani University, Thailand
  • Athipong PHETSUD Doctor of Philosophy Program in Educational Administration, Pathumthani University, Thailand
  • Pornrat LANGKASUTRA Doctor of Philosophy Program in Educational Administration, Pathumthani University, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14456/aamr.2026.19

Keywords:

School Effectiveness, Structural Equation Modeling, Educational Leadership, Secondary Education, Causal Relationship Model

Abstract

This study develops a causal structural model to elucidate the interrelated factors driving secondary school effectiveness within the Roi Et Educational Service Area. Addressing the limitations of isolated, linear evaluations, this research employed a mixed-methods approach, predominantly utilizing structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the complex organizational dynamics of secondary schools. Quantitative data were collected through a structured five-point Likert scale questionnaire administered to a multi-stage random sample of 323 educational administrators and teachers. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the measurement model, which encompassed administrator, teacher, student, and school-context factors across twenty observable indicators. The structural model demonstrated a robust fit to the empirical data (χ²/df = 2.933, CFI = 0.968, RMSEA = 0.077), explaining 89% of the total variance in overall school effectiveness. Crucially, the findings revealed that administrator characteristics had the greatest impact on school outcomes, followed by school organizational systems, teacher attributes, and student factors. These empirical insights significantly underscore the paramount importance of strategic educational leadership and supportive internal environments. The validated model provides a vital, evidence-based framework for policymakers to implement systemic reforms and ensure sustainable quality improvements across diverse secondary education contexts.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Berkowitz, R., Moore, H., Astor, R., & Benbenishty, R. (2017). A research synthesis of the associations between socioeconomic background, inequality, school climate, and academic achievement. Review of Educational Research, 87(2), 425-469.

Brown, T. (2015). Confirmatory factor analysis for applied research (2nd ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.

Browne, M., & Cudeck, R. (1993). Alternative ways of assessing model fit. In K. Bollen & J. Long (eds.). Testing structural equation models (pp. 136-162). California: SAGE Publications.

Bush, T. (2011). Theories of educational leadership and management (4th ed.). London: SAGE Publications.

Byrne, B. (2016). Structural equation modeling with AMOS: Basic concepts, applications, and programming (3rd ed.). New York: Routledge.

Cheng, Y. (1996). School effectiveness and school-based management: A mechanism for development. London: Routledge.

Cherrington, D. (1994). Organizational behavior: The management of individual and organizational performance. Massachusetts: Allyn & Bacon.

Creswell, J., & Creswell, J. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). California: SAGE Publications.

Darling-Hammond, L. (2017). Teaching for social justice: Resources, relationships, and anti-racist practice. Multicultural Perspectives, 19(3), 133-138.

Epstein, J. (2018). School, Family, and Community Partnerships: Preparing Educators and Improving Schools. London: Routledge.

Eryilmaz, N., Kennedy, A., Strietholt, R., & Johansson, S. (2025). Teacher job satisfaction: International evidence on the role of school working conditions and teacher characteristics. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 86, 101474.

Fullan, M. (2016). The new meaning of educational change (5th ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.

Hair, J., Black, W., Babin, B., & Anderson, R. (2018). Multivariate data analysis (8th ed.). London: Cengage Learning.

Hallinger, P. (2011). Leadership for learning: Lessons from 40 years of empirical research. Journal of Educational Administration, 49(2), 125-142.

Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of over 800 meta-analyses relating to achievement. New York: Routledge.

Hoy, W., & Miskel, C. (2013). Educational administration: Theory, research, and practice (9th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Hu, L., & Bentler, P. (1999). Cutoff criteria for fit indexes in covariance structure analysis: Conventional criteria versus new alternatives. Structural Equation Modeling: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 6(1), 1-55.

Karadag, E. (2020). The effect of educational leadership on students’ achievement: A cross-cultural meta-analysis research on studies between 2008 and 2018. Asia Pacific Education Review, 21, 49-64.

Kline, R. (2016). Principles and practice of structural equation modeling (4th ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.

Leithwood, K., & Jantzi, D. (2008). Linking leadership to student learning: The contributions of leader efficacy. Educational Administration Quarterly, 44(4), 496-528.

Leithwood, K., Harris, A., & Hopkins, D. (2020). Seven strong claims about successful school leadership revisited. School Leadership & Management, 40(1), 5-22.

Lomos, C., Hofman, R., & Bosker, R. (2011). Professional communities and student achievement – a meta-analysis. School Effectiveness and School Improvement, 22(2), 121-148.

MacCallum, R., Browne, M., & Sugawara, H. (1996). Power analysis and determination of sample size for covariance structure modeling. Psychological Methods, 1(2), 130-149.

MacNeil, A., Prater, D., & Busch, S. (2009). The effects of school culture and climate on student achievement. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 12(1), 73-84.

Maxwell, S., Reynolds, K., Lee, E., Subasic, E., & Bromhead, D. (2017). The impact of school climate and school identification on academic achievement: Multilevel modeling with student and teacher data. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 2069.

McMillan, J., & Schumacher, S. (2010). Research in Education: Evidence-Based Inquiry. New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc.

Ministry of Education. (2022). Educational Action Plan. Bangkok: Ministry of Education.

Mott, P. (1972). The characteristics of effective organizations. New York: Harper & Row.

Office of the Basic Education Commission. (2022). Basic Education Development Plan 2023-2027. Bangkok: Ministry of Education.

Office of the Education Council. (2021). Report on the status of Thai education. Bangkok: Ministry of Education.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2020). Education at a glance 2020: OECD indicators. Retrieved from www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2020/09/education-at-a-glance-2020_19b01e87/69096873-en.pdf.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2023). PISA 2022 results (Volume I): The state of learning and equity in education. Retrieved from www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2023/12/pisa-2022-results-volume-i_76772a36/53f23881-en.pdf.

Owens, R., & Valesky, T. (2014). Organizational behavior in education: Leadership and school reform (10th ed.). London: Pearson Education.

Schermelleh-Engel, K., Moosbrugger, H., & Müller, H. (2003). Evaluating the fit of structural equation models: Tests of significance and descriptive goodness-of-fit measures. Methods of Psychological Research Online, 8(2), 23-74.

Schleicher, A. (2019). PISA 2018: Insights and interpretations. Retrieved from www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/about/programmes/edu/pisa/publications/national-reports/pisa-2018/PISA 2018 Insights and Interpretations FINAL PDF.pdf.

Shen, J., Wu, H., Reeves, P., Zheng, Y., Ryan, L., & Anderson, D. (2020). The association between teacher leadership and student achievement: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 31, 100357.

Sun, A., & Xia, J. (2018). Teacher-perceived distributed leadership, teacher self-efficacy and job satisfaction: A multilevel SEM approach using the 2013 TALIS data. International Journal of Educational Research, 92, 86-97.

United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. (2021). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education. Retrieved from https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000379707.

World Bank. (2020). World Development Report 2020: Trading for Development in the Age of Global Value Chains. Washington, D.C.: World Bank.

Wu, H., & Shen, J. (2022). The association between principal leadership and student achievement: A multivariate meta-meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 35, 100423.

Published

2026-07-17

How to Cite

Yamsopha, T., Phetsud, A. ., & Langkasutra, P. . (2026). LEADERSHIP AND CONTEXTUAL DETERMINANTS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL EFFECTIVENESS: A CAUSAL STRUCTURAL MODEL. Asian Administration and Management Review, 9(1), Article 19. https://doi.org/10.14456/aamr.2026.19