The author recently had the same conversation about local school reform with two superintendents--one from a large, urban district in the East and the other from a small district in the Midwest. Both superintendents were working with their respective boards to approve, design and fund reading initiatives consistent with the new federal guidelines. Both had encountered resistance due to tight budgets, potentially recalcitrant teachers and board members worried about the response of influential parents. Drawing on their training and professional experience, both superintendents had tried to resolve the conflict by seeking buy-in and pursuing consensus. At this point, the conversations went in two very different directions. The small-district superintendent had enjoyed significant success with this strategy. The initiative was in good shape and moving forward. The large-district superintendent was bogged down amidst concerns about the impact on the district's magnet programs, how to ensure professional development wouldn't run afoul of collective bargaining provisions and which schools would be required to adopt the reading program. This article discusses the separation between the two districts and why there are differences.