This study provides a description of how Race to the Top (RTTT) policy is connected to daily work activity for educational leaders using interviews and surveys. Specifically, the survey questions targeted how school leaders are implementing and prioritizing practices that have an impact on teaching and learning. Results of this study found that school leaders' time is constrained by policy requirements and procedures. Key barriers to effectively enacting leadership tasks were reported to include paperwork, and lack of personnel and time. It was found that some of school leaders' beliefs did not match or demonstrated weak correlation with current actions.