Abstract
The international discourse on school improvement has increasingly emphasized the role of school principals as change agents. In this paper the strategic approach of establishing Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) for school improvement is explored. It will be discussed how this approach may help satisfy current leadership expectations and Italian legislation on school principals’ evaluation. The concept of PLC, understood as a small group, is elucidated and its contribution to fostering a learning culture reviewed, in which elaborate collaborative structures and in-depth reflecting processes are pursued. Furthermore, in the paper variations of PLCs for teachers and for school principals are outlined and their innovating impact is reported.