The need for effective school leadership is a global concern. This paper provides a comparison of the school principal in Costa Rica to the United States. Differences and similarities are described for principals in both nations. Major differences for principals in Costa Rica include administrative salaries, selection procedures, induction, no school buses, and fund raising expectations. Principals in both nations focus on meeting the educational needs of the children, working with teachers and parents, and working long hours to provide quality education for students. (Contains 6 footnotes.)