Beginning with the premise that all pupils can learn if given sufficient time and proper assistance, this paper discusses the efforts of East Orange Public School District (New Jersey) to develop a comprehensive system for improving school administrators' instructional leadership capabilities. The presentation's objectives are threefold: (1) identifying the organization's role in preparing administrators to focus on instruction; (2) delineating an inhouse staff development model designed for administrative, teaching, and office personnel; and (3) outlining an accountability process. East Orange uses the "total teaching act" embracing the Program for Effective Teaching and Supervision (PETS) in its renewed quest for educational excellence. The program is invaluable for encouraging educational changes related to greater learning expectancy and leadership competency. PETS also enables schools to analyze and diagnose teaching and learning arts and enhance teachers' decision-making skills. This paper identifies some curriculum objectives and several classroom variables significantly related to students' achievement, including prior knowledge, time on task, academic performance, and coverage of criterion relevant content. (MLH)