School leaders, especially principals, will play a major role in determining how effectively public schools are able to respond to the challenges of the next century. This handbook summarizes, analyzes, and synthesizes literature on educational leadership. It also integrates theory and practice, containing ideas from practitioners. The volume looks at leadership from four perspectives--the person, the values, the structure, and the skills. Three chapters in part 1 focus on the person who holds a leadership position, including the characteristics of an effective leader, leadership styles and strategies, and leadership training. Three chapters in part 2 deal with the foundation of ethics, vision, and values that give moral purpose to the practice of school leadership. The third part contains three chapters that examine the systems of support structures that underlie school leadership, including school-based management, quality work teams, shared decision making. Six chapters in part 4 focus on leadership skills, such as leading the instructional program and staff; communicating; building coalitions; leading meetings; and managing time, stress, and conflict. (Some of the data for chapters 7, 8, and 13 were derived from a total of 14 interviews with superintendents, administrators, educators, and members of educational partnerships. Eight tables are included. References accompany each chapter.) (LMI)