The difference between the actual and ideal priorities of school principals in a Mid-Atlantic state

The purpose of the study was to determine the priorities of principals in a Mid-Atlantic state and to determine if differences exist between the ideal and actual priorities of those principals. Another purpose of the study was to determine if the principals' ideal and/or actual priorities reflect an emphasis on instructional leadership as described in the Maryland Instructional Leadership Framework as opposed to an emphasis on other administrative responsibilities. A researcher-developed survey was used, and 270 public school principals from eight school systems in a Mid-Atlantic state responded.; Statistically significant differences were found for each research question investigated in this study. All principals, regardless of the level of school, would ideally spend more time focusing on all instructional and non-instructional tasks in the survey than they actually do. Principals' actual priorities on non-instructional tasks are higher than their priorities on instructional tasks. The difference was most significant for high school principals. Ideally, elementary, middle, and high school principals would spend more time on instructional tasks than non-instructional tasks. Principals would ideally prioritize the eight instructional leadership roles higher than they are actually able to prioritize them. Principals would ideally spend more time on non-instructional tasks than they actually are able to do. The Maryland Instructional Leadership Framework has not refocused the principalship to be one of primary instructional leader in this Mid-Atlantic state.