Education leadership has been called the “critical “bridge” that can unite the many different school reform approaches in ways that practically nothing else can. This was the central theme of The Wallace Foundation’s national education conference held in October 2007, at which more than 400 leaders and experts gathered to share practical lessons and experiences about how states, districts and universities are going about the tough work of ensuring that all schools have well-trained, well-supported leadership. This special post-conference report opens with a commentary by Wallace President M. Christine DeVita on the progress and key lessons emerging from the Foundation’s education leadership initiative. Richard L. Colvin, director of the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media, provides detailed highlights of the gathering. Stanford University Professor Linda Darling-Hammond, a conference keynote speaker, discusses the key elements of effective leadership training. Kati Haycock, president of the Education Trust, another keynote speaker, offers vivid examples of how strong leadership made the critical difference in previously-failing schools and urban districts.