This article describes findings from a qualitative phenomenological study that explored the perceptions of assistant principals of curriculum and instruction (APCIs) regarding the effectiveness of their role. The APCI is an emerging role in school administration. Such nascent change in the role of an AP aptly represents the theme of this journal…

Ten school-based leaders engaged in an experimental professional learning community to understand when, during their daily practice, they placed learning (as an action) at the forefront of their leadership. This article presents the findings from the first phase (discovery) of a four-phase, two-year appreciative inquiry study. At their schools,…

The purpose of this mixed methods collective case study was to explore the utilization of assistant principals as instructional leaders to identify and explain factors that influence instructional leadership effectiveness of assistant principals, and the potential effect on school performance in northeastern Pennsylvania secondary schools. The…

Assistant principals are essential to the campus leadership team as instructional leaders. However, many assistant principals spend most of their day participating in noninstructional leadership duties and responsibilities. This can drastically reduce the assistant principal's ability to fulfill instructional leadership duties, thus negatively…

The purpose of this study was to examine variation in assistant principal (AP) social justice beliefs and high-stakes accountability perceptions and explore how APs balance accountability policies while addressing social justice issues in their schools. 79 assistant principals participated in a phase 1 survey with 10 APs selected to participate in…

The evolving role of the assistant principal as an instructional leader has increased the urgency and need for them to be equipped with the appropriate knowledge, skills, and dispositions to support instruction. The purpose of this study was to examine the transfer of job-embedded coaching practices and skills that assistant principals learned…

Assistant principals exist in most school contexts and, although instructional leadership has been a frequent topic of educational research, most studies have focused specifically on the role of principals. The present improvement initiative analyzed the instructional leadership capacity of assistant principals and the impact of targeted…

Principals serve as the instructional leader of their schools and teaching staff, a critical role in leading science achievement. In a racially diverse K-8 public school district in New Jersey, elementary principals are challenged to provide instructional support to teachers who are struggling to teach science to elementary students performing…

One of the key pillars of a country's advancement is its educational system; a country is only as advanced as the quality of its education system. The viability of the educational system and the relationships among its constituent parts heavily rely on the work of the school principal. The process of replacing the principal, also known as the…

With the shifts and newly evolving complexities of the 21st century, the significance of what is needed from a successful school principal has reached a critical point. Today, one of the most vital roles of an effective principal is to, "Create a climate hospitable to education so that safety, a cooperative spirit, and other foundations of…

Background: Middle leaders are well placed to exert a positive influence on teacher learning, due in part to their proximity to the classroom. However, to maximise that potential, more needs to be understood about the complex connections between instruction-oriented middle leadership and professional learning, particularly in non-Western contexts.…

To influence student achievement and improve learning outcomes, building leaders are expected to exercise key elements of instructional leadership. School leaders experience barriers to engaging in efforts to increase teacher effectiveness and guide instructional improvement, due to the demands on their time as they balance the operational,…

Inclusive education has been widely accepted as a useful policy to offer equal access to education to all children. However, practices have stalled in many countries, including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), necessitating support for system strengthening to enhance the existing practices in schools. While leadership is at the heart of effective…

This qualitative case study aims to better understand the mindset development of mid-career building principals regarding stress. Research shows that the job of the building principal has changed dramatically over the last two decades, and this change has required building principals to adjust their practices and priorities to more than just…

The purpose of this qualitative phenomenographical article was to explore the different ways that elementary assistant principals experienced mentoring from their elementary principals as a way to provide the requisite leadership development that would lead them to become a principal. This research study was conducted using in-depth…