The central goals of federal education policy are to achieve equity of educational opportunity and proficiency in educational outcomes for all students--regardless of gender, ethnicity, income, language of origin, disability, or geography. The means to achieve these goals rely in part on the ability of states and districts to provide every student with an effective teacher in every subject. It is becoming unmistakably clear, however, that this task can be accomplished only if states and districts also provide every school with an effective leader. School leaders--specifically principals--can cultivate or impede the conditions for effective teaching. This Research & Policy Brief focuses on what it takes to attract talented and experienced individuals to the principalship. It describes what inspires some people to start on this path, what gives them pause, and what deters others entirely. Using the research literature and results from four focus groups of aspiring principals in three major cities, this brief describes the steps along the pathway to the principalship as well as the characteristics of the individuals taking the journey. Based on these sources, it provides some suggestions for influencing changes in policy and practice to increase the supply of high-quality school leaders. Appended are: (1) Focus Group Methodology; and (2) Focus Group Participants. (Contains 1 table.)