Instructional Leadership: Contexts and Challenges.

Instructional leadership is long-term dedication to instructional excellence that includes both instructional and school management issues. Recent research suggests that effective principals can make a significant difference in their schools' instructional programs through a combination of personal traits, particularly a strong belief in their schools, and the management strategies used to oversee and guide instruction. This bulletin examines some of the issues and tasks associated with instructional leadership from the perspective of instructional concerns and from the study of leadership behaviors. Within the contexts influencing learning--in communities, in the school's organization, and in the values held by their staffs--reside both the problems and the resources with which instructional leaders work. After considering contexts, this bulletin looks at factors affecting the technology of instruction, including objectives, evaluation, staff development, and organizational climate. Finally, the document concludes by discussing the advantages of sharing leadership responsibilities to promote better instruction and improve student performance. Appended are 46 references. (MLF)