INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING NEEDS FOR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS

The central job thrust for principals has been redirected in recent years from school maintenance to instructional leadership. School districts have responded to the job expectations of the 1980's by directing the principal's leadership to managing instruction. Simultaneously the research community has studied effective schools to learn what principals and teachers do that influences student achievement gains. Numerous studies have now verified that the principal indeed is a key factor in the school's attempt to alter achievement norms. In the article, we shall first synthesize the results of effective schooling characteristics that have been identified by numerous researchers. Second, we shall discuss the development of a diagnostic instrument used to assess the training needs of principals in relation to instructional leadership tasks: school planning, staff and program development, and evaluation. Finally, the results of a recent study assessing principals' perceptions of their training needs will be reported.