The purpose of this study was to determine the status of instructional leadership practice of school leaders and identify the personal, organizational and environmental factors and to recommend solutions for the problems that influence instructional leaders' practices of 211r1 cycle primary schools of Mecha Woreda. To achieve the objectives, a descriptive survey method of research was employed in the study. To this end, 12 (3Qo/o) second cycle primary schools were selected as a sample by using simple random sampling from the total of 40 primary schools in the Woreda. Of these sample schools, 12 principals, 12 vice principals, 6 supervisors and 48 department heads wer: selected in comprehensive sampling technique. Jn addition, .from mo teachers ;9j the selected sample. schools, 72 (45%) teachers were selected. Then these 72 teachers were also selected by stratified random sampling technique with proportional to each school teachers. [!11ta were gathered through closed ended questionnaire and semi structured interview. Based on the data .gathered, percentage was computed· to describe the characteristics of respondents. To analyze 'the instructional leadership practices and the associated challenges one sample t-test was employed. The open ended question and responses of the interviewees were interpreted qualitatively using narrative Jechniques. The result of the analysis clearly shows that instructional leaders perform above average in ·9 job functions: framing school goals, communicating school goals, supervising and evaluating the instruction, ~oordinating the curriculum, monitor student prog~~s, protect instructional time, maintain high visibility, provide incentives for ieachers, professional development, and provide incentives for learning. The only deficiency in their instructional leadership function relates to providing incentives for teachers. With regard to the factor affecting the instructional leadership-practice, the study uncovers that lack of professional knowledge, lack of training and lack of flexibility from the personal factors; lack of human resource,' lack of incentives, shortage of teaching material resources, absence of shared leadership and shortage of time were from organizational factors; "interference of political leaders, unplanned meetings (political and societal affairs ordered by higher authorities, lack of recruitment, se/ecrion,. placement and transfer of teachers before the beginning of schorJJs by Wore§a Education Office. lack of guiding and supporting through supervision, lack of active participation of Kebe le Educatii;gl Training Board, lack of Parent Teacher Association and Community in the te~hing learning process and inadequate. support i~ teaching material resources from higher authorities were the environmental factors. Based onthis result, it can be cpnclude that though personal, ·.organizational and environmental factors influenced instructional leaders, they worked hard in 9 job functions of instructional leadership except function 8 i.e providing incentive for teachers. To solve the problems. related instructional leadership practices and to minimize the personal, organizational and environmental factors sufficient recommendation were forwarded. The Woreda Education Office should reward the school leaders in arsemester and a year for their strong performances;school leaders should reinforce teachers to improve their pesformance and they must open doors to shared leadership;the Worda Education Office, Zone, Region and Ministry of Educ~Ltion should provide short and long term training for personal factors and how to ser school goals to improve their professional skills and fulfill she human, fjnance and teaching material sesources timely; the Woreda Education Office, Zone, Amhara RegitmAl Bureau sh~Juld provide professional support fo[ school leaders and they should discuss with Sthool leaders and minimize the burden of instructional leaders in involving political and other societal affairs. Finally. the Woreda Education Office, school leaf.ers, teachers and other workers of the school should work hard and mobilize the Kebele Education Trdining Board, the Parent Teacher Association, and the Communities to ht!t.ie active participatton in the teaching learning process. I ABSTRACT ix