Educational administrators face a challenging and changing climate in our nation's schools. In the past, textbooks in educational administration have focused mainly on theory and research as a way of providing a knowledge base and preparation for students and professionals. In Educational Administration: Concepts and Practices, Sixth Edition, we have attempted to go beyond this tradition by including, in addition to comprehensive coverage of theory and research, a third component: practical applications that help educational administrators make use of the knowledge base they acquire. This practical, applied component makes our book a unique entry to the literature and a resource that we believe will enhance the abilities of future and current educational administrators to become effective leaders in our changing educational climate.