Managerial Leadership of School Principals in Implementing Inclusive Education: A Qualitative Study in Public Elementary School

Rika Septiyani; Soedjono; Widya Kusumaningsih

doi:10.17977/um005v10i22026p281-293

Authors

Rika Septiyani Universitas Persatuan Guru Republik Indonesia Semarang
Soedjono Universitas Persatuan Guru Republik Indonesia Semarang
Widya Kusumaningsih Universitas Persatuan Guru Republik Indonesia Semarang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17977/um005v10i22026p281-293

Keywords:

principal leadership, educational management, inclusive education, managerial role, elementary school

Abstract

Inclusive education has become a strategic policy within the national education system aimed at ensuring equal learning opportunities for all students, including those with special needs. Its successful implementation at the school level largely depends on the principal’s managerial leadership capacity. This study aims to analyze the principal's role as a manager in implementing inclusive education at SD Negeri Panjang Wetan 03, Pekalongan Utara District, Pekalongan City. The research employed a qualitative case-study design. Data were collected through in-depth interviews, participatory observations, and document analysis, and analyzed using data reduction, data display, and conclusion-drawing techniques, with triangulation to ensure data validity. The findings reveal that the principal performed managerial functions integratively through participatory planning based on students’ needs, collaborative organizing among teachers, actuating through supportive supervision and instructional leadership, and reflective evaluation oriented toward continuous improvement. Rather than proposing a novel theoretical framework, this study provides a context-specific insight into how classical management functions are enacted and adapted within a resource-constrained, inclusive elementary school setting. The findings indicate that the implementation of inclusive education in this context is shaped by adaptive, collaborative, and context-responsive managerial leadership, although its outcomes are influenced by structural constraints such as limited resources and institutional support.

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