TITLE:
School Leadership and Student Achievement: A Systematic Review of Leadership Practices and Indirect Pathways
AUTHORS:
Keqi Xie, Jianwei Xu
KEYWORDS:
School Leadership, Student Achievement, Secondary Education, Instructional Leadership, Systematic Literature Review
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.10,
October
10,
2026
ABSTRACT: School leadership is widely regarded as an important school-level factor associated with student outcomes, yet evidence concerning direct relationships remains mixed. This study systematically reviews empirical research on the relationship between school leadership and student achievement in secondary-school settings, with particular attention to possible indirect pathways. Following the PRISMA 2020 framework, 58 records were identified through Education Source and ERIC. After applying publication, language, duplication, study-design, and relevance criteria, 15 empirical studies published between 2014 and 2024 were included. The studies were synthesized through a framework-guided thematic approach organized around three leadership practices: setting direction, developing people, and redesigning the organization. The findings suggest that leadership is associated with student achievement mainly through proposed indirect pathways. Setting direction may align school priorities and motivate stakeholders, although patterns vary across student groups and contexts. Developing people may strengthen teacher professional learning and instructional practice, while redesigning the organization may support school climate, trust, discipline and safety, and resource management. Because several included studies provided contextual evidence without measuring student achievement or formally testing mediation, these pathways should be interpreted as plausible explanatory links rather than confirmed causal mechanisms. Overall, the review identifies teacher learning, instructional practice, school climate, and resource allocation as priorities for future empirical testing.