<![CDATA[This qualitative case study examines how local wisdom has been integrated into curriculum transformation at SMK Negeri 2 Ponorogo, a vocational secondary school in East Java, Indonesia. Using semi-structured interviews (n=25), classroom observations, curriculum document analysis, and field notes, the study investigated mechanisms through which vocational schools pursue culturally responsive education while maintaining alignment with national standards. Five major themes emerged from thematic analysis: (1) local wisdom appears as contextual learning resources embedded within subjects rather than as independent curriculum content; (2) teachers actively interpret national curriculum objectives through professional judgment and contextual knowledge, producing varied curriculum enactment across programs; (3) students associate local wisdom integration with authentic learning experiences through community-based projects and apprenticeships with traditional practitioners, though without reported effects on academic achievement; (4) curriculum transformation occurs through continuous negotiation between national standards, industry competencies, assessment requirements, and cultural preservation rather than through curriculum replacement; and (5) school leadership facilitates curriculum innovation through distributed decision-making and collaborative support rather than directive mandates. The study contributes to curriculum transformation literature by positioning local wisdom as a contextual mediating resource through which national competencies can be developed, rather than as cultural content competing with standardized curricula. Findings suggest that sustainable vocational curriculum transformation in centralized education systems may occur more effectively through facilitated teacher enactment and professional agency than through top-down policy mandates. The research provides empirical evidence from Southeast Asian vocational education, a context underrepresented in international curriculum scholarship. Results may inform curriculum developers, vocational school leaders, teachers, and educational policymakers designing culturally responsive curriculum initiatives within standardized governance structures. Future research employing comparative case studies across different vocational disciplines and regions could strengthen understanding of how schools navigate tensions between standardization and cultural responsiveness.]]>
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