How Distributed Instructional Leadership Impacts the “Fidelity” to Instructional Innovations

• In Event: Defining and Assessing the Impact of Instructional Leadership

Abstract

This study uses 4-year longitudinal data from 110 elementary schools that adopted one of three Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) programs: Accelerates School Project (ASP), America’s Choice (AC) and Success for All (SFA). It not only finds that distributed instructional leadership brings about higher degree of “fidelity” to the planned instructional innovations, but also finds that, its influence on faithful implementation of instructional innovations is contingent upon organizational tasks. Distributed instructional leadership works more effectively in schools where tasks of teaching are less certain, routine or predictable, as in the case of AC and ASP schools; and less effectively in schools where tasks of teaching are more certain, routine, and predictable, as in the case of SFA schools.

Author

• Sisi Chen, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor