This synthesis of research findings translates investigations in instructional leadership into a working model for practitioners--principals, assistant principals, teachers, and others. Three kinds of research--theoretical, practical, and ethnographic--are used to develop a model based on six interrelated functions of instructional leadership, covered in six chapters. The first of these is setting academic goals, and this involves communicating a vision of success and developing a plan of action. Chapter 2 addresses the task of organizing the instructional program. Included is a discussion of managing the school as a loosely coupled system, a section on curriculum management, and an outline of organizational strategies. Chapter 3 discusses the hiring, supervision, and evaluation of teachers. Chapter 4 provides strategies for protecting instructional time and programs, and chapter 5 discusses the importance of maintaining high expectations to establish a climate for learning. Chapter 6 is devoted to monitoring achievement levels and evaluating programs. Instead of the more common "engineering" model of evaluation (based on input/output analysis), a "medical" model is proposed, based on assessing a wider range of characteristics and looking at unintended as well as intended outcomes. A 7-page bibliography lists 71 references. (TE)