Foundations of Change for the Scholar–Practitioner Leader

Change is a fact of life, and educational reform is replete with change. However, cosmetic changes fail to bring about real improvement. Rather than remodel the existing concept of public education, leaders must create a new one. The schools must be recultured. The change leader must build trust with open communication supporting followers through transitions as changes are implemented. In this article the author examines how scholar–practitioner leaders allow theory to inform their practice and then refl ect on their practice to revise theory. She examines how being fi rmly grounded in theory and possessing understanding gained from their practice, scholar–practitioner leaders have insights that neither scholar nor practitioner have as individuals.