The best way to prepare aspiring leaders for principalship is to offer hands-on opportunities to develop the skills they'll need when they're in charge. Being a principal calls for originality, innovation, and the ability to work under pressure. Yet so few assistant principals and other aspiring leaders actually get to develop these competencies in meaningful ways that prepare them to lead a school with confidence. "Leader Ready" presents a framework that walks aspiring school leaders along the path to strong and independent principalship by using a mix of professional knowledge, modeling, coaching, guided experiences, and mastery experiences. Full of processes, action steps, and examples from the field, features include: (1) A research-based plan for creating better conditions for aspiring leaders; (2) Guidance for achieving systemic professional growth throughout the school year; (3) Analysis of school-leadership standards to inform practice; and (4) Voices of leaders, aspiring leaders, and experts from the field. The role of the principal is far more complex and challenging than ever before! It is critical that we guide more aspiring leaders to the role of principal. Leader Ready has the tools to help you achieve this! This book will provide aspiring leaders, principals, and district leaders with the know-how to build new generations of successful school leaders. [Foreword written by Peter DeWitt. Afterword written by John Hattie.]