This qualitative case study, guided by Bolman and Deal's framework, explores how 17 Saudi school leaders—recognized for innovation through national awards and Mawhiba Foundation programs—navigate challenges and strategies to drive educational innovation. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and five focus groups with leadership supervisors. These methods ensured valid, authentic insights based on participants’ experiences and beliefs. Instruments were reviewed by experts to ensure alignment with research objectives and credibility of findings. The study addresses a gap in understanding how school leaders operate within centralized educational systems—an area underexplored in the Saudi context. Findings reveal a disconnect between national educational goals (e.g. Vision 2030) and on-the-ground implementation, often hindered by ambiguous strategies, unclear goals, and bureaucratic barriers limiting teacher engagement. The results emphasize the need for culturally adaptive leadership practices to foster innovation and inform policy development. While the qualitative approach and regional focus limit generalizability, this study offers a foundation for future research using comparative or quantitative methods. As the first application of Bolman and Deal's framework to school innovation in Saudi Arabia, it provides actionable insights to support leadership development in similar educational environments.
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