After reviewing each state-designed or -approved principal practice evaluation instrument, we found that roughly half of states have an explicit instructional leadership standard in the evaluation instrument, while the other half of states have a standard that conveys similar content, but is slightly different in name (i.e. Teaching and Learning, Culture of Learning, etc.). For the purpose of this research, we refer to these standards as implicit instructional leadership standards.

To assess whether there were substantive differences between the explicit instructional leadership standards and the implicit instructional leadership standards, New America examined the content of these standards in evaluation instruments. After analyzing and coding the content of the standards, we found that the content mostly fell under the following four components: teacher support, curriculum and instruction, evidence-based decision making, and culture of learning. For a detailed profile on each state standard, click on a state above.