The academic and political arguments about teacher quality affect how secondary principals do their jobs. Educational research provides useful guidance about which teacher candidates may be most likely to increase student achievement, but it must be used critically and cautiously. When individuals with varying political agendas interpret the same findings in completely different ways to advance very different solutions, confusion results. Principals who understand the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 know how to create and maintain a positive work and learning environment for teachers and students.