This guide to the 21 leadership responsibilities that influence student achievement will help school leaders focus on changes that really make a difference.

The purpose of this explanatory, mixed methods case study was to examine instructional leadership within the context of rural secondary schools. This investigation followed an explanatory mixed methods design of sequential quantitative and qualitative phases (QUAL[right arrow]quan). For the quantitative phase, the Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale (PIMRS) was administered to eight principals and 312 teachers in eight rural secondary schools in the southeastern United States. Descriptive analysis of principal and teacher results found that principals were most engaged in the subscales of framing school goals, coordinating curriculum, and promoting professional development and least engaged in the subscales of maintaining high visibility, protecting instructional time, and providing teaching and learning incentives. Independent t-tests found statistically significant differences in the instructional leadership of principals based on four contextual factors: school size, school SES, principal administrative experience, and district funding (per pupil expenditure). Two principals and their schools were selected for participation in the qualitative phase of the study. Interviews and observations of principals and interviews with teachers added insight to the findings of the quantitative phase. Participants characterized the principalship as a multifaceted job where secondary school principals fulfilled four leadership roles: instructional leader, district/community liaison, organizational manager, and problem solver. Participants also identified important instructional leadership behaviors not measured by the PIMRS, such as hiring effective teachers, providing instructional resources, and sharing leadership responsibilities. The study concludes with suggestions for future instructional leadership research and practical advice for rural secondary school principals.

With case studies on such topics as implementing a technology program and modifying a schedule, this book shows why principals must play a leadership role.

Over 100 of the best field-based practices of award-winning secondary principals are examined to help school leaders produce a successful, thriving school environment.

"Certification, assessment, and standards for school principals are here to stay. Elaine Wilmore takes a fresh and innovative look at how standards for school administration are tied to the very core of educational leadership. A must read for all aspiring and practicing school leaders. Bravo!" Theodore Creighton, Executive Director National Council of Professors of Educational Administration "This book informs school leaders how they can carry out critical leadership responsibilities that will lead to ever higher levels of academic achievement for all students." John H. Stevens, Executive Director Texas Business and Education Coalition and Chairman of the Board, Texas Principals Leadership Initiative Principal Leadership is the first book on the market that provides you with the new ELCC standards in a cohesive, easy-to-follow manner! Finally, the new joint Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) standards, now recognized as the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards, are at your fingertips, ready to be applied by principals as well as administrator preparation programs. This is first book to make the connection between the new standards and the principal′s leadership role in creating and sustaining a school′s culture and values. Its simple, consistent format includes: Meeting the standards for the learning community Creating, developing, and implementing school vision and culture Organizing learning community resources Establishing collaborative partnerships within the school community Dealing with the dilemmas, politics, and professional development in school communities Transforming the learning community In addition to a thorough discussion of the new standards, each chapter includes easy-to-use learning tools that include "Activities for Professional Development" and reflective questions to help individuals, groups, or classes get the most from the book′s practical, insightful, and easy-to-read format. Principal Leadership is a must-read for current and future school leaders who recognize the increasing complexity of the principal′s role in our ever-changing, complicated world.