In addition to mediating the macro level (structural) insights into the merged political interests of particular movements such as NCLB (Apple, 2004), today’s leaders must navigate indirect policy influences from meso (regional) levels (e.g. competition among neighboring schools) and local policy expectations. This paper draws on empirical findings and the literature to examine relationships among school leadership actions and various policy influences. The theoretical framework draws on Leithwood and Riehl’s (2005) meta-analysis identifies leadership practices that are necessary for success in any context, Ball and Bowe’s (1992) macro-micro dialectic of policy implementation and Marginson and Rhoades’ (2002) meso-perspective on regional policy influences on schools. Findings indicated that the principal and other participants used policies to leverage interest in adding advanced placement courses at the local level while state accountability mandates exerted power over other school practices. Findings also indicated that national pressures were accentuated by regional pressures to maintain high academic performance / ranking. These refracted policy pressures influenced the principal’s practices to promote college over local career and cultural assimilation over cultural identity. It was clear that the participants incorporated all three levels of accountability influences—direct and indirect influences that created both pressure and power for participants in their work.