The staff believes that it has the capability to help all students attain that mastery. In an effective school the principal acts as an instructional leader and effectively and persistently communicates the school's mission to the staff, parents, and students. The principal understands and applies effective leadership skills to enable students and staff to achieve established school and student outcomes. In an effective school there is a clearly articulated school mission. The staff understands and makes a commitment to school instructional goals, priorities, assessment procedures and accountability in order to achieve the school's mission.
Staff accepts responsibility for students' learning of the school's essential curriculum.
In an effective school, teachers allocate a significant amount of classroom instruction to the essential skills. A high percentage of time students are engaged in teacher-directed learning activities. In an effective school, student academic progress is measured frequently. A variety of assessment procedures are used. The results of the assessment are used to improve student performance and also to improve the instructional program.