A mixed-research case study was conducted to identify effective school characteristics of highperforming, high-poverty schools. Four High-Performing Reward schools in South Texas were selected to study. An eleven effective school characteristics model including processes was developed from the effective school research literature as the framework for the study. Onsite data collection from each school included a staff survey and focus group session, parent survey and focus group session, and principal interview. The study findings supported the eleven effective school characteristics model.
An area of improvement in school application identified among these high-performing schools was Leadership. School staff and parent perceptions of the processes for effective Leadership were analyzed. School staff perceptions ranked Leadership mid-level in essentiality and application among the eleven characteristics. However, staff and parent focus groups strongly supported the principals’ leadership qualities; although, the principals’ leadership styles varied. Two areas of improvement identified were in improvement of instruction and student discipline. The study’s findings in the area of Leadership as an effective school characteristic support understanding “Leadership” as a varying ingredient integrated and mutually interactive with school context where leadership changes due to the school context and/or the school context changes due to the leadershi
