Today's guest blog is written by Steve Ventura. Steve is the former Superintendent in the Edison School District (Kern County, CA) and is now an independent consultant.

Building administrators and school leaders across the nation are challenged to find strategies that will generate continual increased levels of student achievement. Research is clear about the importance of principal leadership and what makes an effective leader. Research is also clear about what the most effective practices are within a school to achieve increased student success.

So what is it, specifically, that instructional leaders do? How can leaders overcome the "politics of distraction" when it comes to leading change? Do our best teachers leave lousy schools or lousy leaders? Instructional leadership must be focused on evidence, not tradition.

In order to become an instructional leader, principals must decide if they prefer impact over popularity. Can leaders be both? I suppose so, but true leadership means standing up for change, even if that change is initially unpopular. Moreover, instructional leaders must maintain a learning environment based on quality teaching, student engagement, evaluation of instructional impact, and create positive home-school relationships.

Click here to continue reading.