ISSN: 2782-893X
eISSN: 2799-0664
ISSN: 2782- 893X
—— This study examined the decision-making and communication practices of school heads and their influence on teachers’ job satisfaction and professional preferences in the Schools Division of San Carlos City, Negros Occidental during School Year 2025–2026. Using a descriptive-correlational design, data were gathered from 60 school heads and teachers through validated survey instruments. Results revealed that the most pressing challenges encountered in leadership practices were building community trust and engagement (f = 58, 96.67%), balancing administrative duties with instructional leadership (f = 55, 91.67%), and addressing budget constraints (f = 52, 86.67%). Teacher-related concerns such as retention and recruitment (f = 50, 83.33%) and adapting to change and innovation (f = 48, 80.00%) were also highly ranked. Lower but still significant issues included addressing mental health (f = 38, 63.33%) and strengthening school safety (f = 35, 58.33%). Statistical analysis showed a significant positive correlation between school heads’ decisionmaking and communication practices and teachers’ job satisfaction (r = 0.72, p < 0.01), indicating that transparent and participatory leadership strongly enhances teacher morale. Furthermore, regression results demonstrated that communication practices accounted for 48% of the variance in teachers’ professional preferences, underscoring the critical role of effective dialogue in shaping career decisions. These findings highlight the need for structured leadership development programs that integrate participatory governance, instructional supervision, financial literacy, and psychosocial support. The proposed Leadership Development Program (LDP) aims to institutionalize monitoring systems, strengthen accountability, and align leadership practices with teacher expectations to ensure sustainable improvements in both teacher satisfaction and learner achievement. Keywords: Decision-Making, Communication Practices, School Heads, Teacher Job Satisfaction, Professional Preferences, Leadership Development Program (LDP)