"Makes a distinct contribution to the field and will be a very useful resource for universities and school districts." —Susan Villani, Senior Program/Research Associate, Learning Innovations Author, Mentoring and Induction Programs That Support New Principals "Will improve the training and practice of future school administrators and the learning of students across the country." —Jim Lentz, Superintendent, Augusta Public Schools, KS Blend theory with real-world practices to develop and sustain effective leadership! University preparation programs for educational leaders are continually criticized for lack of connectedness to the real world, while school and district leaders face mounting pressure to adopt the latest research-based best practices. Closing the Leadership Gap demonstrates what happens when universities and districts work together to shape and support superior leadership that harnesses the qualities of excellence in both practice and research. The authors, experts in school-university partnerships for leadership development, help close the gap between academic training and day-to-day issues with a program that incorporates collaborative partnerships between university faculty and inservice administrators. Filled with lessons learned, school leader voices, and reflections throughout, this book illustrates how to cultivate and sustain ethical, effective leadership. Readers will find: Field-tested tools, templates, and forms Research-based strategies to apply in any leadership development endeavor Performance assessment and documentation methods This resource is ideal for staff developers, leadership coaches, university preparation programs, and prospective or practicing administrators committed to a strong leadership preparation curriculum that inspires leaders to remain in education and have a lasting, positive impact upon student achievement.