Teacher leadership profiles among Nevada elementary teachers: the differentiating roles of school climate, teaching experience, and instructional innovation

Teacher leadership is vital for school improvement, yet little is known about the varied patterns of engagement or the factors supporting teachers’ leadership development. This study used latent profile analysis, a person-centered approach designed to identify unobserved subgroups based on shared profiles of teacher leadership engagement, among 656 Nevada elementary teachers. Five distinct profiles emerged, and random forest classification was used to examine the most influential predictors differentiating profile membership. Equitable access to leadership opportunities most strongly differentiated the lowest and moderate profiles, indicating that school climate operates as a gateway to initial leadership engagement. In contrast, teaching experience and instructional innovation emerged as the most influential factors distinguishing moderate and high profiles, suggesting that advanced leadership requires both accumulated professional expertise and ongoing pedagogical innovation. These results call for differentiated approaches to teacher leadership development, emphasising inclusive structures for emergent leaders and professional development focused on instructional innovation for more experienced teachers.