The conversations that take place in a school reveal a great deal about its culture. What educators say is a powerful indicator of the values and beliefs that form their school's culture.The School Culture Evaluation Exercise from "Breaking Ranks: A Field Guide for Leading Change" is a tool developed by the Center for Secondary School Reform that engages members of the school community in considering and rating their status in a variety of cultural elements that characterize school philosophies and practices. It fosters conversations among team members and stakeholders to clarify what is required for positive cultural change--to get people on the same page regarding student learning. Tools are not solutions, but they do serve two important functions for leaders who are seeking to improve student learning in their schools: (1) they facilitate data collection; and (2) they stimulate conversation about important topics.