Research consistently
shows that effective instructional leadership drives student success. This
multi-case study investigates a critical, yet often overlooked, disconnect in
school administration: the structural fragility of the preparation-to-practice
pipeline. The study posits a substantial misalignment between the demanding
expectations established by research, policy, and professional standards, and
the actual systemic capacity principals possess to enact instructional
leadership practices daily. Using Interpretive Description, the study examines
how this efficacy gap contributes to the persistent disparity between the time
principals are expected to devote to instructional tasks and the time they
actually spend on them. Findings reveal that the absence of a coherent,
standardized, and comprehensive system for developing and supporting
principals’ instructional expertise, combined with limited professional
autonomy, has an unintended consequence: school leaders lack both the time and
specialized skill set required to develop teachers effectively. Consequently,
their focus on the core work of teaching and learning is constrained,
ultimately hindering student achievement.
