School turnaround in the United Stated has been a focus dating back to the mid 1960s with the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act aimed to ensure that children have equal access to excellent educational opportunities. This qualitative study targeted seven Turnaround Principals of schools located in Northeast Georgia to identify the barriers, challenges, and obstacles of school transformation. The outcome of this research shows that there are significant barriers and challenges as it relates to school turnaround. Additionally, the research proves to be effective at identifying those areas that hinder school turnaround and furthermore, provides school districts the lived experiences of school administrators who have been able to navigate the barriers and challenges of being a turnaround school leader. [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.]