ASSESSING SOURCES OF INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP IN SELECTED ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS (PHILADELPHIA)

While earlier research identified socio-economic factors as the determinants of school outcomes, recent research on effective schools has studied exceptions which suggest instructional leadership by either an authoritarian leader, the collaboration of a team, or a loosely coupled group of individuals can make a difference in school outcomes. The purpose of the present research was to devise and test an instrument for describing patterns of instructional leadership in elementary and secondary schools. After a review of the literature on effective schools, leadership and sources of leadership, the instrument, Sources of Instructional Leadership (SOIL), was developed. SOIL\u27s clarity was assessed in twelve individual trials with practicing educational professionals. In a pilot trial in three reputedly improving or successful schools varying in size, level, socio-economic status, and achievement, scales describing the instructional leadership of the principal, vice principal, department head, instructional specialist, and teachers had internal consistencies (Cronbach\u27s alpha) of .89 to .96. A Varimax factor analysis of each role scale showed varying factor patterns suggesting scale independence. SOIL was then administered to professional staffs in seven additional schools, and the responses of the 436 professionals from all ten schools were analyzed with discriminant analysis. Results showed significant school separation on discriminant functions, an overall correct classification of 94%, and instructional leadership profiles for each school. Since these results were unexpectedly high, an exploratory reanalysis of elementary and secondary subsamples was conducted. These discriminant analyses also showed significant school separations, and correct classifications of 100% and 95%, respectively; confirming the accuracy of the first analysis. The results indicated that SOIL was reliable, had content validity, and differentiated among patterns of instructional leadership. The inferences contended that instructional leadership in the sample schools could be described as a system that was distinctive for each school, pervasively influenced by administrative roles, and more varied and complex than suggested by the effective schools literature. The discussion recommended a systems model for conceptualizing school leadership, improvement, and change; as well as, a sources-tasks framework or matrix for understanding influence systems in other organizations