School leadership is a key component of successful school environments and academic performance strategies. Among school-related factors, school leadership is second to teaching in its impact on student learning. In addition, research shows that strong leaders contribute significantly to successful school turnaround. To ensure that school leaders are equipped to lead their schools and effective in school improvement efforts, states can employ a variety of policy levers. This brief highlights three types of state policy initiatives that can effectively support principals as they engage in school improvement: (1) role recognition; (2) statewide support systems; and (3) federal funding.