In the 21st century, students' character, socialemotional skills, and academic competencies will define school excellence. This article describes characteristics of visionary leadership for such schools based on settings already characterized by strengths in EQ + IQ = Best Leadership Practices for Caring and Successful Schools. Core beliefs underlying visionary leadership are presented as well as key practices of visionary leadership in action, including how to create contexts that engage schools in building empathy through moral action and service and how to fill schools with opportunities for student goal setting, decision making, and problem solving. Examples illustrate how leading schools that prepare children for the tests of life and not a life of tests is a vision truly worthy of pursuit.
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