The following research review is a companion to "Transforming Education for Holistic Student Development: Learning from Education System (Re)building Around the World" (Datnow et al., 2022), a summary report that explores the work of building and rebuilding education systems to support holistic student development in six systems around the world (in Singapore, Ireland, Chile, Canada, India, and the United States) and in one cross-national system (the International Baccalaureate). This review synthesizes the research foundations of four topics central to the summary report: the contemporary policy focus on holistic student development; instruction, teaching, and learning; (re)building education systems; and the demands on education leaders. It also situates these topics in the global education context. Insights from the review support readers in engaging the summary report both (a) to understand and appreciate the work of these seven initiatives, and (b) to think critically about the ways that their work extends and complicates leading theory and research bearing on (re)building education systems to support holistic student development. [For the full report, see ED626329. For the case reports in this series, see British Columbia (ED626332), India (ED626334), Iowa (ED626337), Ireland (ED626338), and International Baccalaureate (ED626342).]