Research for Action (RFA) is currently in the second year of a five-year external evaluation of the Project Leadership and Investment for Transformation (LIFT) Initiative in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School District (CMS). Project LIFT is a public-private partnership between CMS and the local philanthropic and business communities in Charlotte, designed to turnaround nine schools in the West Charlotte Corridor. Starting in the 2012-13 school year, Project LIFT operates as a semi-autonomous Zone within CMS, providing the initiative with CMS infrastructural support and access to an initial $55 Million investment of private resources to drive a multifaceted reform effort in Charlotte's highest poverty schools. Project LIFT's long-term goals are to significantly improve student achievement in the following ways: (1) 90% of students will achieve proficiency in math and English across the zone; (2) 90% of students will meet annual growth goals in math and English; and (3) 90% of WCHS students will graduate on time. For this report, the findings present alignment with the following contemporary theories of key elements and early outcomes associated with complex turnaround efforts in high poverty schools: (1) Multi-faceted school turnaround initiatives create major changes in schools during start up; (2) Full implementation of turnaround initiatives can take multiple years; and (3) Turnaround schools typically make early strides to improve school climate and build on existing support in local communities. These initial changes create the conditions necessary for increased academic achievement in later years of the initiative. This report is organized into the following four sections, reflecting the major elements of the Theory of Change above: (1) Project LIFT in Context; (2) Year 1 Student Outcomes: School Climate; (3) Year 1 Student Outcomes: Student Proficiency Rates; (4) Summary of Year 1 Report and Preview of Year II. Three appendices are included: (1) Appendix A: 2012-13 Data Sources for Preliminary Implementation Memo; (2) Appendix B: 2012-13 LIFT Onboarding Staff/Building Internal Capacity in Year One ; and (3) Appendix C: 2012-13 Project LIFT Key Program Focus Areas Partners