As anyone in a partnership — a marriage, a business, a professional relationship — will attest, it takes hard work and energy, time and persistence, and reciprocal commitment to make a partnership successful. Writing from the perspective of an external partner, we explore here lessons learned from eight years of working with public school districts. As an organization committed to large-scale instructional improvement, the Connecticut Center for School Change partners with six geographically and demographically diverse school districts across the state ranging in size from 2,200 to 15,000 students. Our work is informed by the concept that “system success equals student success.” The center works in partnership with district leaders to develop leadership, build organizational capacity, and enhance knowledge. Unlike many of the relationships —