Abstract:
This paper draws on instructional leadership and goal-setting theory to investigate the content, type, and degree of achievement of goals set by experienced principals. While most goals focused on teaching and learning, they tended to be vaguely expressed and only partially achieved. Five predictors (commitment, challenge, learning, effort, and support) explained a significant level of goal achievement for relationship, strategic, and resourcing goals. Achievement of teaching and learning goals, however, was not as well explained by the model. Possible reasons for the difference include the indirectness of principal influence on student learning, and the complexity of teaching and learning goals.