This resource examines the role of the central office in improving instruction and therefore improving student achievement. Mac Iver and Farley-Ripple provide a comprehensive review of the available research (since the 1970s) on the role of the central office in student achievement. First, they review the research chronologically, and then by study type: positive outlier studies, district case studies, and comparative district studies. After completing the review and synthesis of the research, the authors point to gaps in the research and outline implications for future exploration.