It’s Not a Perfect World: Leadership Practices that Grow Collective Teacher Efficacy and Student Achievement

Collective Teacher Efficacy (CTE) is one of the strongest known predictors of student achievement, yet many school leaders have limited exposure to the research or practical strategies needed to cultivate it. This descriptive study examined the leadership practices and organizational conditions that foster CTE in high-achieving elementary and intermediate schools in Northeast Texas. Although these campuses consistently exceed expectations, they contend with many of the same challenges as lower-performing schools, including poverty, staffing limitations, and shifting student needs. By focusing on successful schools, this study offers transferable leadership strategies grounded in an asset-based perspective. Findings highlight four key leadership moves that supported the development and sustainability of CTE: being visibly present in instructional spaces, protecting structured collaboration time, elevating teacher voice, and intentionally developing a collaborative leadership team. These leadership practices reflect the principles of Distributed Leadership Theory, Social Cognitive Theory, and Organizational Learning Theory, and align with recent mentoring models that emphasize relational trust and teacher agency. This culture of trust and agency extended to the teachers’ mindset in schools with high CTE. Teachers expressed deep respect for parents, including those unable to participate regularly in school activities due to demanding work schedules or single-parenting responsibilities, recognizing their commitment and value as partners in student success. Implications for leadership preparation programs and practicing principals are discussed, offering practical guidance for cultivating CTE, even in the most challenging school contexts.