This book was written to address the new standards for the preparation and development of school principals, created jointly by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Interstate School Leader Licensure Consortium (ISLLC). These standards, known as the Educational Leadership Constituent Council standards, are of critical importance in creating, nurturing, and sustaining a culture and climate that values the soul of the school within its political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context. The book is written within a context of tying the new standards to practical yet research-based applications for principals and others interested in school leadership. The book's format includes meeting the standards for the school learning community; creating, developing, and implementing school vision and culture; organizing learning-community resources; establishing collaborative partnerships within the school community; dealing with the dilemmas, politics, and professional development in school communities; and transforming the learning community. Each chapter includes easy-to-use learning tools that include "Activities for Professional Development" and reflective questions to help individuals, groups, or classes get the most from the book's practical and insightful format. (Contains 185 references.) (RT)