Leadership transitions provide opportunities for organizational growth and development. In the field of education, choosing an effective school principal is one of the most significant decisions that a superintendent or school board can make, as new leadership can propel a district forward in meeting its goals. Principals are responsible for setting school improvement agendas and teacher workplace conditions and ensuring that the school performs in accordance with state/national policies and community expectations. However, many school districts report that recruiting and selecting new school principals is challenging. This brief describes the challenges that school superintendents and hiring committees face when trying to hire a school principal by drawing upon research. In addition, the brief offers practical, emerging practices that school superintendents and hiring committees have implemented to address challenges. (Contains 2 tables.)