The Practice and Process of Instructional Leadership

Instructional leadership is central to school improvement. The tasks of organizing, coordinating, monitoring, and supporting teachers in their efforts to provide high-quality learning opportunities for students are essential to building a strong instructional program that reaches every classroom. Historically, however, instructional leadership has taken a backseat to managerial and political activities. Larry Cuban, in his book The Managerial Imperative and the Practice of Leadership in Schools, argues that education leaders are caught in a crucible of managerial, political, and instructional demands and that instructional attention invariably loses out (Cuban, 1988). In the hectic environments of schools, with the array of demands on leaders, principals and other leaders are generally viewed as unprepared to lead instructional improvement efforts (Levine, 2005).

More recently, the standards and accountability movements have spurred unprecedented attention on instructional improvement in schools as the central means to enhance teaching and improve student learning outcomes (Elmore, 2000). The ensuing demand for more and better instructional leadership has produced a dizzying array of exhortations for principals and other school leaders. Principals are being asked to observe classes, evaluate lessons, do school walk-throughs, check teacher lesson plans, plan and deliver professional development to teachers, scrutinize common curriculum-unit plans, and go over teacher interim assessments (Marshall, 2006). This increased focus on instructional leadership raises two questions. First, just what is “instructional leadership”? Second, what decisions should principals make in their efforts to provide more and better instructional leadership?

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