"Surprise! Here come the preschoolers." Thousands of elementary principals are receiving a similar message from their supervisors as the concept of universal preschool is propelled to the forefront of the national education agenda. School districts across the country are being infused with wide varieties of federal- and state-funded…

Examined is a professor's views on a principal-professor exchange program. The role of principal was temporarily filled by the author (a professor) in six schools in North Carolina and Ohio. Six shared characteristics are discussed. (SI)