ABSTRACT
The primary focus of federal education policy is the improvement of education in all contexts and for all children. Achieving these goals is in part dependent upon the capacity of state and local governments to leverage federal policies and to implement appropriate and well-resourced programs delivered by highly qualified staff. Education leaders at all levels and in all contexts are finding these increasingly difficult goals to realize. The urban context, however, presents particularly daunting challenges for both new and seasoned educational leaders.
