Student engagement in learning is critical to the development of lifelong learners. Many research studies have found that student engagement is congruent with teacher student interaction, school culture, and student achievement. However, in the research literature, little has been documented about the role of the school leader in ensuring teachers are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and expertise to engage students in learning. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate the extent to which middle school principals in a single large urban school district develop teacher instructional practices that cultivate student engagement across disciplines in Grades 6-8. The research focuses on the school leaders' use of the elements and attributes of the Danielson's Framework for Teaching (2013) to facilitate student engagement. It further examines the ways in which middle school principals invest in teacher development to promote student engagement and the leadership role of the principal in developing teacher instructional practices. The study will inform the decision making processes of school leaders seeking to improve student engagement and foster lifelong learning. This phenomenological study targeted New York City middle school principals with two or more consecutive years leading middle schools that are designated in good standing, meaning they are meeting or exceeding established achievement targets. Twelve randomly selected school leaders responded to semi-structured interview questions. Their digitally recorded responses were analyzed using the NVivo software. Findings indicate the school leaders' belief that when students are engaged in learning, they are active participants in the learning experiences. Engagement practices are embedded into the culture of schools in good standing, are routinely evident in classroom instruction, and their impact consistently monitored. The school leaders prioritize teacher learning and accept this as a primary responsibility. They maintain structures that provide teachers with opportunities to assume leadership roles in the school community and time to collaborate around teaching and learning. The researcher concludes in order to engage students in high levels of learning, school leaders should focus their attention on (1) prioritizing teacher learning as a primary responsibility, (2) the collaborative improvement of teacher practice, (3) cultivating teacher leadership, and (4) utilizing the Danielson Rubric to monitor teacher instructional practices. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]