<p> Synthesis of Research on the Characteristics of Effective Schools</p><p>Effective Schools research began in the 1970s by Ron Edmonds, Larry Lezotte, Wilbur Brookover, Michael Rutter, and others as an attempt to find schools that were consistently more effective in helping all students learn regardless of race or poverty. It was one of the first research models that disaggregated data. The following list, developed in the 1990s, summarizes what Lezotte (1991) has called the second generation of research on effective schools. It includes seven “correlates”—factors that are correlated with effective schools.</p><p>Correlate 1: Safe and Orderly Environment</p><p>Effective schools have an orderly, purposeful, businesslike environment that is conducive to learning without being oppressive. Students work together cooperatively, respect human diversity, and appreciate democratic values.</p><p>Correlate 2: Climate of High Expectations for Success</p><p>The staff in an effective school demonstrates its belief that all students can attain mastery of the essential school skills. Teachers develop and implement a wide array of varied strategies to ensure that students achieve mastery. The school responds to and assists all students who do not learn.</p><p>Correlate 3: Instructional Leadership</p><p>The principal in an effective school functions as an instructional leader who communicates the school’s mission to students, teachers, and community. However, leadership is widely dispersed and the principal functions as a leader of leaders—a coach, a partner, and a cheerleader.</p><p>Correlate 4: Clear and Focused Mission</p><p>The staff understands and is committed to the mission of the school, to its instructional goals, and to its priorities. They design and deliver a curriculum that goes beyond low-level skills and is responsive to the need for higher levels of learning for all students.</p><p>Correlate 5: Opportunity to Learn and Student Time on Task</p><p>In an effective school, a significant amount of classroom time is allocated to instruction in essential skills. The school is willing to declare that some things are more important than others and to abandon some less important areas of content in order to have enough time for material that is valued more.</p><p>Correlate 6: Frequent Monitoring of Student Progress</p><p>In an effective school, student progress is measured frequently through a variety of assessment procedures. Teachers recognize the need for alignment between what is taught and what is tested. There is less emphasis on standardized, norm-referenced, paper-pencil tests and more on authentic, curricular-based, criterion-referenced measures of student mastery.</p><p>Correlate 7: Home-School Relations Parents in effective schools understand and support the school’s mission and play an important role in achieving the mission. There is enough trust and communication between teachers and parents to enable parents to serve as full partners in working toward the mutual goal of providing children with a high-quality education.</p>