Abstract
This study examined the fiscal leadership challenges and performance of newly appointed principals in public elementary and secondary schools in the Division of Malaybalay City, to propose a Resource Management Adaptation Framework. Anchored in the Financial Control (Budgetary Control) Theory, the study employed a descriptive-correlational design with 10 newly appointed principals and 146 teachers purposively selected. A researcher-developed questionnaire was used to assess fiscal leadership challenges in terms of budget planning and allocation, resource mobilization and utilization, transparency and accountability, financial decision-making and risk management, and stakeholder engagement in resource management, as well as principals' performance in instructional leadership, human resource management, and school governance and community partnership.
Results indicated that newly appointed principals experienced moderate to high fiscal leadership challenges, while their performance was rated high. Significant differences were observed between principals' and teachers' assessments, and a significant relationship was found between fiscal leadership challenges and principals' performance. The study concluded that effective fiscal leadership is essential to sustaining school performance. It is recommended that the Department of Education implement targeted fiscal management training, structured mentoring programs, and adopt the proposed Resource Management Adaptation Framework to strengthen the fiscal competencies of newly appointed principals.
Keywords: Fiscal Leadership, Newly Appointed Principals, School Performance, Financial Management, Resource Management Framework
https://doi.org/10.65494/pinagpalapublishing.260
