<![CDATA[The transformation of education in the digital era requires madrasah heads to possess adaptive and innovative leadership competencies that integrate educational technology and character education. However, existing training programs remain dominated by conventional approaches and often fail to ensure the sustainable application of training outcomes in the workplace. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of KASPATRA (Knowledge Acquisition–Skill Development–Practice Enhancement–Transformative Leadership) as a training model for madrasah heads. The study employed a Research and Development (R&D) approach using the 4-D model (Define, Design, Develop, and Disseminate). The model was developed through a needs analysis involving observations, interviews, documentation, and a literature review, refined through expert review, and subsequently tested using a one-group pretest–posttest design involving madrasah heads under the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Banjarmasin City. The study produced the KASPATRA training model, which integrated transformational leadership, educational technology, and character education through four learning stages: Independent Learning, Coaching Clinic, Collaborative Learning, and Implementation Assistance. The implementation of the model increased transformational leadership competency by 41%, educational technology competency by 73%, and character education competency by 42%. The novelty of this study lies in integrating these three competency dimensions with a transfer-of-training mechanism within an R&D-based training model, thereby supporting not only knowledge acquisition but also the sustainable application of leadership competencies in the workplace. KASPATRA demonstrated potential as an alternative training model for madrasah heads that is systematic, adaptive, and sustainable.]]>
