Data-Based Instructional Leadership: A Strategic Model for Improving Multidimensional Numeracy at the Junior High School Level

Abstrak

Numeracy is a crucial interdisciplinary skill for the modern era; however, the performance of Indonesian students remains subpar, as evidenced by results from PISA 2022 and domestic educational assessments. This study seeks to develop a strategic leadership framework aimed at enhancing numeracy skills in junior high schools (SMP), with a specific focus on Maja District in Majalengka Regency. Employing a qualitative descriptive methodology designed as a case study, the research examines the interplay of three central elements: Instructional Leadership as the initiating force, Professional Learning Communities (PLC) as the collaborative teacher-level process, and Assessment for Learning (AfL) as the classroom-based implementation tool. Data were gathered via intensive interviews, direct observation, and documentary analysis, followed by thematic analysis using the Miles and Huberman approach supported by NVivo software. The resulting "Golden Triangle" model advocates for school principals to shift from administrative management to a more evaluative and instruction-focused leadership role. Such a shift is designed to strengthen collective teacher effectiveness through structured PLCs and to cultivate students' capacity to utilize feedback via AfL strategies. This integrated model presents a novel perspective by connecting data-informed leadership with multifaceted numeracy instruction within the framework of Indonesia's Independent Curriculum.