The Effect of Principals’ Managerial Skills and Teachers’ Participation in Teacher Working Groups (KKG) on Elementary School Teacher Performance in Welahan District
Purpose: This study examines the individual and combined effects of principals’ managerial skills and teachers’ participation in Teacher Working Groups (Kelompok Kerja Guru/KKG) on the performance of public elementary school teachers in Welahan District, Jepara Regency, Indonesia. Methodology: A quantitative ex post facto and descriptive correlational design was employed. Data were collected from 117 teachers selected from a population of 385 using the Slovin formula and purposive sampling. Validated Likert-scale questionnaires were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression in SPSS. Results: Principals’ managerial skills had a positive and significant effect on teacher performance (R² = 0.854, β = 0.705, p < .001), while teachers’ participation in KKG also showed a positive and significant effect (R² = 0.657, β = 0.310, p < .001). Together, the two predictors explained 90.3% of the variance in teacher performance (Adjusted R² = 0.903, F = 539.951, p < .001), indicating a strong synergistic relationship. Novelty and Contribution: The study extends educational leadership and Professional Learning Community (PLC) theory by demonstrating that principals’ managerial skills and KKG participation operate synergistically rather than independently in enhancing teacher performance, providing empirical evidence from the Indonesian elementary school context. Practical and Social Implications: The findings highlight the need to strengthen principals’ managerial competencies while restructuring KKG into substantive professional learning communities. Investing in both leadership development and collaborative teacher learning can sustainably improve teacher performance and enhance the quality of elementary education.