Instructional Leadership
What this domain tests
Instructional leadership concerns improving teaching and learning through observation, feedback, coaching, data use, and professional learning. Know the difference between evaluation (formal, compliance-oriented, standards-based) and coaching (formative, growth-oriented, confidential where policy allows). Expect questions about using walkthrough and assessment data to identify a focused problem of practice.
Concepts to know
- Standards-aligned curriculum and high-leverage instructional practices.
- Formative assessment, data teams, and professional learning communities.
- Multi-tiered systems of support, universal design for learning, and equitable access for English learners and students with disabilities.
- Culturally responsive pedagogy and adult learning principles.
- Calibrated feedback, modeling, co-planning, and follow-up observation.
- The California Standards for the Teaching Profession as a shared language for practice.
Traps
Frequent traps include prescribing “more PD” without diagnosing a problem, drawing conclusions from a single observation, and conflating evaluation with support. Also watch for answers that ignore disaggregated data, narrow curriculum to test prep, or remove intervention time. Strong answers diagnose before prescribing and focus on one or two high-leverage practices.
Worked example
Walkthrough data show most questions are recall-level, especially in classes with many English learners. A strong sequence is: validate findings with teachers, examine student work, select a focus such as structured academic discussion, provide modeling and co-planning, observe again, and monitor student talk. Rule of thumb: diagnose before prescribe; choose one focus; follow up with feedback and evidence.