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Abstract
This action research case examined how central office curriculum coordinators, functioning as a learning organization, designed coherent systems of support to develop principals’ instructional leadership capacity within a large, suburban school district. Grounded in coherence and organizational learning theories, the study employed three iterative action research cycles focused on key drivers of coherence: building focus and coordination, cultivating assistive relationships, and changing behavior at scale. Qualitative data were collected through multiple methods, including observing principal/coordinator pairs, partnership artifacts, pre/post-study interviews, participant questionnaires, and coordinator logs. The findings revealed that central office leaders foster coherence with principals by establishing collaborative structures that promote shared understanding, data-driven decision-making, and mutual responsibility for instructional improvement. Further, the study identified the continuous evaluation of evidence, principal-centric support systems, and an ongoing pursuit of coherence as characteristics of a learning organization. Curriculum coordinators, who are mid-level central office instructional leaders, were found to be critical in promoting coherence and alignment between district and school leaders, directly impacting the effectiveness of principals’ instructional leadership. The study has implications for central office practice, highlighting the need for collaborative structures, continuous improvement efforts, and future research and policy focused on supporting coherent central office leadership.