A yearlong field study of how communities, school districts, and personal characteristics influence principals' behavior as instructional leaders concluded that successful principals act with purpose, have a multi-faceted image of schools, use routine behaviors to progress toward goals, and engage in the same kinds of behavior. (CB)

Presented here are five detailed case studies of principals (four elementary level and one junior high level) undertaken to verify and modify a theoretical model of how instructional management occurs in schools. The five principals were selected from a larger group of California Bay Area principals identified by central office personnel as…

A case study delineating the instructional leadership role undertaken by a principal of an urban elementary school considers the administrator's social and academic goals for her students, social climate and instructional organization of the school, the principal's contribution to their creation and maintenance, and direct and indirect…

From interviews with 32 principals and observations of 17 of those interviewed emerged a picture of effective leadership in instructional management and school administration. Success was connected to the principals' capacity for linking routine activities to the school's context and a personal vision of its mission. (SK)