Title: What Makes a School Successful? The Five Factor Theory of Effective Schools | InformED
Headings: What Makes a School Successful? The Five Factor Theory of Effective Schools
What Makes a School Successful? The Five Factor Theory of Effective Schools
About Marianne Stenger

Content: Public Agenda, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to providing insights, tools and support through research and public engagement, recently released a report examining nine Ohio public schools that have exceptional academic reputations despite being known as high poverty schools. Some of the key findings were that all nine schools had principals with clear and strong visions who encouraged staff to get involved in problem solving and decision making, as well as teachers who were committed to making a difference in students’ lives and seeing their school succeed. The survey also found that these principals and teachers had consistently high expectations for all students, both in terms of student behavior and academic success. Moreover, the students from these nine schools reported that they felt valued, loved and challenged. Carolin Hagelskamp, director of research at Public Agenda and lead author of the 2013 report “Failure Is Not an Option,” believes that although there are common characteristics to be found in successful schools, it is important not to place too much emphasis on any one factor. “There is no one factor that makes a school successful. In the successful schools we have seen, visionary leaders work side by side with committed teachers creating a warm, respectful, optimistic and achievement-oriented climate,” she says. “It’s not just a philosophy, but a deliberate, step-by-step approach these schools are taking. This is what we heard again and again from the teachers, principals and students we met.” Image source
About Marianne Stenger
Marianne Stenger is a London-based freelance writer and journalist with extensive experience covering all things learning and development.