This qualitative, phenomenological case study was to determine the impact the state accountability system has on school improvement practices for schools that have been designated under the statewide system of support. Nine district and school level leaders were interviewed from one suburban school district designated as "Underperforming" to "understand and present the participants' subjective experiences" (Seidman, 2006) on the impact the statewide system of support has on the processes and activities that are tied to school improvement efforts. To enhance and build upon the essence of the systematic processes in the district, additional data was collected through team meeting observations, school improvement planning observations, and document review. As a result, four main themes emerged to illustrate the impact the state accountability system has on school improvement practices, organizational processes, and structures in designated schools. First, in order to see improvement in student and adult outcomes, a district must develop and sustain systematic processes across the district. Next, data should be used at every level of the improvement process, from the initial needs assessment to the monitoring and evaluation of goals and strategies in improvement plans. The next theme centered around promoting a district's improvement journey through targeted coaching and professional learning from internal and external partners to meet improvement plan goals. Finally, the state's involvement in the improvement process has a direct impact on how the school responds to the program, fiscal, and reporting accountability requirements of a designated school district. This study concludes with implications and recommendations for future study on standards of effective statewide systems of support and school improvement practices. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]