This book does exactly what its title suggests: it takes the theoretical and conceptual nature of leadership and positions it in the real world of school governance – where teachers, administrators and community stakeholders grapple with issues of change, diversity, influence, motivation, policy, and law. Organized around the widely accepted Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards, Theory into Practice: Case Stories for School Leaders offers a rich combination of current literature on educational leadership, real-life school-based situations, and a framework for decision-making. Designed for both current and aspiring school leaders, this book provides the perfect complement to coursework and clinical experiences by offering case stories at all levels: from teacher leader, to building leader, to district leader. The case story format enables readers to experience a wide range of school-based issues from a variety of perspectives. Through this construct, the authors present a strong case for reflective leadership and thoughtful decision-making. Given the current climate of standards, standardization, and hyper-accountability in education, this book reminds readers that education – and educational leadership – remains an intensely human experience.