Transformational Leadership and the Dual-Track Model of Teacher Professional Development in Established and Growing Islamic Schools

Asyithah Almufidah; Wahid Murni; Mulyono Mulyono

doi:10.35445/alishlah.v18i2.9877

Transformational Leadership and the Dual-Track Model of Teacher Professional Development in Established and Growing Islamic Schools

Asyithah Almufidah, Wahid Murni, Mulyono Mulyono

Abstract

Teacher professional development is essential for improving educational quality in Islamic schools. However, leadership strategies are often applied uniformly despite differences in institutional maturity. This study examines how transformational leadership supports teacher professional development in established and growing Islamic schools and proposes a contextual model aligned with institutional readiness.This study employed a qualitative multi-case design in two Islamic elementary schools in Surabaya, Indonesia: SDIT Fatimiyah as an established school and MI El Rahmah as a growing school. Data were collected over four months through in-depth interviews, participant observations, and document analysis involving 16 participants, including principals, teachers, and foundation representatives. Data were analyzed through single-case and cross-case analysis using open and thematic coding. Credibility was strengthened through source, technique, and time triangulation, member checking, and peer debriefing.The findings show that transformational leadership was enacted differently according to school maturity. In the established school, leadership emphasized systemic standards, teacher autonomy, digital integration, and the “One Teacher One Innovation” program. In the growing school, leadership prioritized direct mentoring, emotional support, value-based motivation, and the “Friday Innovation” initiative. These differences indicate two professional development pathways: the Acceleration Track for mature institutions and the Foundation Track for developing institutions.The study proposes the Dual-Track Model of Teacher Professional Development, which positions institutional maturity as a key contextual variable in transformational leadership. The model offers practical guidance for school leaders to align teacher development strategies with institutional readiness.

Keywords

transformational leadership; teacher professionalism; dual-track model; institutional maturity; Islamic schools

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.35445/alishlah.v18i2.9877