Across the United States, there are schools whose students are significantly outperforming and out-improving those from nearby schools. In almost any geographic location in America, within a 30-minute drive there exist schools where classrooms are alive with stimulating learning, day in and day out. Not too far away from these schools are schools where none of this exists; where adults may be working extremely hard, change is elusive, as practices stay consistent and results are stagnant. One key variable that explains the difference between these two sets of schools is leadership--highly competent principals and teacher leaders who galvanize a culture, align the organization, hold unyielding and high expectations for children, and develop the necessary professional capacity to serve children and communities exceptionally well. Given what is known about about the enormous importance of leaders in improving student learning, it is essential for districts to put time and effort into ensuring that they secure leaders who can do the difficult but crucial work of leading learning. In this article, the authors describe ways in which forward-thinking districts go about planning and implementing leadership development for educational leaders in service of improved student learning.