This report summarizes the proceedings of an Ohio Department of Education conference convened to describe, define, and develop activities that would provide a working model of the school principal as the instructional leader. First, the results of a pre-conference principals' needs assessment, which formed the basis for conference planning and development, are outlined. Brief overviews of each conference presentation are then provided. These cover such topics as utilization of "A Nation at Risk"; the nature of leadership; the Principal-Led Team (PLT) as a collegial decision-making strategy; PLT implementation at the building level; curriculum changes; mastery learning, competency-based education, critical skills, and course of study; student progress assessment; assessment methods; school-community relations; classroom observation and instructional supervision; evaluating an effective communication skills program; building-based staff development; time and stress management; evaluating program effectiveness; utilizing the school's advisory council; business expectations about preparation of future employees; schools responding to the employer; and effective education practices. The findings of nine small group sessions on related topics are also summarized. Finally, the results of an analysis of pre- and post-conference needs assessments are given, as are the pre-conference survey instrument, the results of the participants' evaluation of the conference, the conference schedule, and a list of participants. (KH)