This study examined the relationship between school heads leadership capabilities and teachers promotion in the Capalonga District, Schools Division of Camarines Norte. Guided by distributed and transformational leadership theories, the research sought to explore how various leadership dimensions—communication, mentorship and guidance, decision-making, recognition of excellence, and professional development initiatives—relate to the frequency of teacher promotions. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed, involving 147 public elementary school teachers in the school year 2023-2024, selected through Cochrans formula and purposive sampling. Data were collected using a validated researcher-made questionnaire, SPSS Version 21 was used in data tabulation and analysis using statistical measures such as frequency, percentage, weighted mean, and Somers Delta correlation coefficient. The findings reveal that most teachers had 4–10 years of service, held Masters units, and were in Teacher I positions. School heads were generally perceived as capable, particularly in communication and professional development. However, 61% of teachers reported no promotion. A significant positive relationship was found between school heads leadership capabilities and teacher promotion rates. The findings underscore the pivotal role of effective school leadership in fostering professional growth and promotion opportunities for educators, highlighting the need for targeted interventions to strengthen leadership capacity in public schools.

School leadership

teacher promotion

communication

mentorship and guidance

decision-making

recognition of excellence

professional development initiatives