The quality of school leadership and management is widely regarded as one of the most significant school-level factors influencing students’ academic performance, yet secondary schools within the same district often exhibit markedly different performance outcomes despite operating under similar policy, curriculum, and resource conditions, a disparity frequently attributed to differences in the management styles employed by head teachers. This study examined the influence of school management styles on students’ performance in secondary schools in Kabarole District, guided by objectives that sought to establish the management styles predominantly employed by head teachers, assess the level of students’ academic performance across sampled schools, determine the relationship between specific management styles (autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire) and students’ performance, and identify other school-level factors that mediate this relationship. A descriptive correlational research design combining quantitative and qualitative approaches was adopted, with data collected from a sample of 156 respondents comprising head teachers, teachers, and students drawn from twelve secondary schools, using questionnaires, interviews, and analysis of official examination performance records. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, multiple regression, and path analysis (AMOS). Results showed that the democratic management style was the most prevalent (mean = 3.87) and was significantly and positively correlated with students’ performance (r = 0.612, p < 0.01), while the autocratic style was significantly negatively correlated with performance (r = −0.487, p < 0.01); the laissez-faire style showed a weak, non-significant correlation (r = −0.142, p > 0.05). Regression analysis showed that management style dimensions jointly explained 46.8 percent of the variance in students’ performance (R² = 0.468). Path analysis revealed that teacher motivation significantly mediates the relationship between democratic management style and students’ performance, with a significant indirect effect (β = 0.279, p < 0.01) alongside a significant direct effect (β = 0.334, p < 0.01), yielding a total effect of 0.613. The study concludes that management style, particularly the democratic approach, exerts a substantial influence on students’ performance, operating both directly and through its effect on teacher motivation, and recommends leadership training for head teachers emphasizing participatory management, deliberate strategies to enhance teacher motivation, and closer monitoring of management practices by the district education office.