Experience has shown that providing instructional, emotional, and managerial support to new principals by giving them experienced, expert principals as mentors can help to a large extent. Over the course of a year, New Visions for Public Schools studied six types of principal mentor programs offered to new and needy principals in six New York City community school districts and in New Vision small schools. Several different organizations, including the districts, universities, and the supervisors' union, made current and former principals available as mentors. The most striking and important differences concern the confidentiality of the relationship, the selection of the mentors, the selection of topics, and the support and preparation for the mentors. Through a review of scholarly and practitioner-based research, as well as in-depth interviews with 9 principal mentors, 14 mentees, and 6 superintendents or deputy superintendents supervising the mentor programs, New Visions was able to draw conclusions and make recommendations concerning effective principal mentor programs. Mentor principals must have sound records of success. They need very strong interpersonal skills; they should be reflective and compassionate, good listeners, and effective communicators who can speak the truth. (DFR)