The study described the influence, if any, AchieveNJ might have on superintendents' hiring decisions of principals. According to superintendents, there is not one accepted standard in principal leadership characteristics, although there are commonalities regarding traits associated with improving student achievement. The significance of this study is to unveil comparisons, distinctions, and conclusions about the impact AchieveNJ has had on superintendents' hiring decisions of principals, which will contribute to the literature gap on AchieveNJ. AchieveNJ was a new variable in the research and it forced superintendents to rank principal leadership characteristics. This groundbreaking policy is at the forefront of accountability and serves an educational milestone. The significance of the findings presented evidence that since AchieveNJ was introduced in 2013-14, instructional leadership was the most desired leadership trait when superintendents hire principals. Also, districts' and superintendents' demographic variables had no influence on the findings.