"Effective Communication as an Essential Element of Leaders with Diverse School Populations" describes a problem based learning project focused on issues related to practices used by principals to address diverse school populations. The team found that communication between principals and diverse populations in schools was a challenge. Principals discussed having several communication mediums which produced minimal responses and engagement from diverse populations. Feedback from principal respondents indicated they had few resources in communicating with diverse populations. Therefore, the team identified discrepancies between the practices of principals and the foundational knowledge on communication with diverse populations. Principals were interviewed in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area regarding their perceptions as related to leadership and communication with diverse populations within their school communities. The data collected from the principal respondents were analyzed for themes. Emergent themes and strands were found in the data. The findings were then compared to concepts emerging from the foundational knowledge regarding effective leadership and effective communication. Overall, principals stated they did not have communication goals, objectives, or plans in place to communicate with their school populations and did not address diverse populations specifically. All principals were interested in suggestions, strategies, and recommendations in order to better communicate with diverse populations in order to develop inclusive lines of communication within the school community. After principal interviews were conducted and thematically analyzed, a communication plan template emerged with resources in an attempt to assist current and future principals in developing a communication plan in their respective buildings. This user friendly template was designed to assist principals in the planning and implementation process of communicating with all populations and diverse populations specifically. The team made recommendations involving the inclusion of varied aspects within principal preparation programs. As well, state department recommendations were given to emphasize the importance of the communication plan development by principals and their respective school buildings. This project added to the professional literature for improvement of communication and principal performance in districts with diverse populations. In addition, the team provided principals of diverse populations with the communication resources they could utilize within their school immediately. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]