Roland R. Tuliao

This study identified the competency needs of emerging school leaders in financial management, strategic partnerships, and project implementation as a basis for developing a capability building program. Using a descriptive research design integrated with a Research and Development (R&D) approach, the study involved 68 emerging school leaders, specifically Head Teachers and newly appointed School Heads with zero to three years of leadership experience in a public schools division in Northern Luzon, Philippines. The researchers gathered data using a competency needs assessment survey aligned with the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH). The findings revealed that financial management was identified as a Moderate Training Need, while strategic partnerships and project implementation were identified as Extensive Training Needs. Based on these findings, the STEP UP! (Strengthening and Training Emerging Personnel for Upgraded Performance) Capability-Building Program was developed to address the identified competency gaps. The program subsequently underwent expert validation and pilot implementation. Validation results indicated an overall rating of Very Highly Valid, demonstrating strong alignment with competency needs, professional standards, content requirements, and implementation mechanisms. Evaluation based on Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Model further showed that the program was highly effective, as participants reported positive reactions, increased knowledge and skills, successful application of learning in the workplace, and perceived improvements in leadership performance and school operations. The study concludes that a needs-based and standards-aligned capability-building program can effectively strengthen the competencies of emerging school leaders and contribute to improved school governance, stakeholder engagement, and project implementation.