This article reviews the literature on how Chinese turnaround schools are improved in practice. It starts by defining turnaround schools in the Chinese context, and then discusses the essential reasons why such schools exist. Approaches to improving turnaround schools, successful experiences of transforming turnaround schools, and the challenges that Chinese education administrators face are also explored. This article supplies a number of insights into interventions at the governmental level related to school internal management, principal appointment, student development, teacher professional development, and educational finance. Finally, the implications for transforming Chinese turnaround schools in the future are discussed.