The work of the National Commission for the Advancement of Educational Leadership begins with an important understanding: The need for change in leadership preparation is not contested. Rather, the possible approaches that can be taken to strengthen our field are the subject of debate. Those differences warrant the attention of a respected national body, the commission, to work through them, clearing the way for the further development of a critically important field. Formation of the commission provides an opportunity for the profession to create collectively the common understandings and working assumptions that are needed to inform leadership development at every level. The commission, through its composition, is recognition that the profession consists of diverse constituencies located in many places. It is an example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. It is not about university faculty inviting school leaders to the table to react to their recommendations. It is about focused, collective discourse and planning of a shared agenda that contributes to the well-being of a nation's children.A significant context for our response to the commission articles is a decade of experience with the Danforth Foundation's Forum for the American School Superintendent. Work with this group of 60 superintendents has compelled us to reexamine our assumptions about leadership and the practices of the education administration field. It has left us with grave concerns 289

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