Educational success is not the result of a single factor but emerges from the dynamic interplay of various influences. Recent systematic reviews reveal that school effectiveness is influenced by a range of factors, including school leadership, teacher quality, curriculum and instruction, school culture and climate and parental involvement.¹

This interconnected framework demonstrates that sustainable educational improvement requires coordinated efforts across all stakeholders, rather than isolated interventions targeting individual elements. 

These three essential components form the triad of successful schools:

• Strategic leadership
• Expert teachers
• Engaged parents

Research demonstrates that school leaders can encourage parental involvement both directly and indirectly through teacher invitations, while coordinated instructional frameworks ensure curriculum alignment and resource orchestration toward strategic priorities.^20,21 Successful school improvement requires purposeful integration of leadership support, strategic staff development and accountable professional networks that include families as partners.^19,21 This integrated approach to leadership demonstrates that sustainable educational improvement occurs when administrative vision, teacher capacity and family engagement operate as interconnected components of a comprehensive school improvement strategy.

The evidence is clear: sustainable educational success emerges when visionary leadership, expert teaching, and engaged families work in strategic coordination, creating powerful synergies that amplify individual efforts into transformative educational outcomes.^19,20 The call to educators is to take a holistic approach to the triad of successful schools. Such an approach requires systematic implementation research to identify optimal coordination strategies and evidence-based frameworks that can guide practitioners in developing these interconnected relationships across diverse educational contexts.

Effective school leadership serves as the cornerstone of educational success, with research demonstrating that principals have a pronounced, positive effect on the schools they lead, with total leadership explaining up to 27% of variance in student outcomes.² Recent studies emphasize that successful leadership goes beyond individual principals to include distributed leadership models. The evolution in leadership research reflects growing recognition that sustainable school improvement requires a collaborative approach that engages multiple stakeholders throughout the educational community. 

Central to effective leadership is the creation of a compelling vision, one that is clear, inspiring and directly connected to student learning outcomes. A 2023 systematic review reveals that transformational leaders who identify and articulate a clear vision, create shared consensus among school staff and foster acceptance of group goals significantly impact teacher motivation and school culture.³ Research demonstrates that transformational school leaders who communicate their vision effectively and involve staff in creating common goals can align entire schools toward achieving educational objectives, ultimately translating leadership into improved student outcomes.^3,4

Contemporary research highlights four key leadership practices that support transformational and distributed leadership approaches:⁵ 

1. Focusing on instruction when working with teachers
2. Creating productive school climates
3. Building collaboration
4. Strategically managing resources

The evidence base shows that distributed leadership has gained significant empirical traction, with leadership distribution patterns being more effective when they occur strategically within organizations.6 These findings suggest a compelling vision combined with the four previously identified leadership practices improves school effectiveness.

Teacher expertise forms the heart of educational effectiveness, with mounting evidence demonstrating the critical role of skilled educators in student outcomes. Meta-analytic research reveals that teacher leadership is positively related to student achievement (r = .19), with facilitating improvements in curriculum, instruction and assessment showing the strongest relationship.⁷ This evidence underscores the pivotal role of teacher expertise and leadership in shaping student success, highlighting the importance of investing in professional development to enhance educators’ skills and effectiveness.

Recent research emphasizes that teacher effectiveness extends beyond individual classrooms. Studies indicate that more experienced teachers support greater student learning for their colleagues and the school as a whole, with effectiveness generally increasing with experience for most teachers.⁸ Contemporary research demonstrates that teacher self-efficacy significantly influences student learning engagement, with teachers' beliefs in their abilities directly impacting classroom dynamics.⁹ These findings underscore the importance of fostering teacher experience and self-efficacy to enhance overall educational outcomes.

Teacher education effectiveness research has emerged as a significant paradigm, with studies published between 1993 and 2023 showing an increased attention to developing expert teaching practices.¹⁰

Here are key research studies on teacher effectiveness:

• Meng emphasizes the importance of aligning instructional methods with educational quality standards to create positive learning environments and foster student success. This alignment process involves utilizing evidence-based instructional approaches, integrating technology effectively, and ensuring continuous professional development and feedback for educators.¹¹
• Kusmawan examines the use of AI-supported teaching practices and highlights the potential of technology to transform continuous professional development in teaching.¹²
• Ciampa and Reisboard highlight that culturally responsive teaching professional development programs enhance educators’ self-efficacy and encourage the implementation of inclusive practices, fostering meaningful classroom relationships and critical consciousness among students.¹³

Collectively, the findings build a compelling argument for prioritizing the cultivation of teacher expertise in educational programs and demonstrate the critical role of specialized knowledge and skills in improving instructional quality and student outcomes.

The following article is written by Nicholas J. Markette, Ed.D., Lily Skots, PhD, Maja Aleksic, PhD, based on the research of GCU alumna Lily Skots, PhD, whose work explores the vital connection between school leadership, expert teachers and engaged parents as the foundation for lasting educational success.

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Parental engagement represents the crucial third pillar of educational success, with approximately 50 years of research demonstrating the striking benefits of active family-school partnerships.¹⁴ Harvard research reveals that students with engaged families enjoy higher grades, better attendance, greater self-esteem and higher graduation rates, while educators experience increased job satisfaction and improved relationships with diverse families.¹⁴

Family-school partnerships are particularly beneficial for students who require additional support. Coordinated efforts between families and schools ensure that the emotional and educational needs of students are effectively met by providing structured and cross-setting support systems.¹⁵ In light of these compelling findings, fostering strong family-school partnerships should be a top priority for educational institutions seeking to enhance student outcomes and create a more inclusive and effective learning environment.

Parental visits to schools are instrumental in fostering a connection between home and school. Contemporary studies suggest that parental visits to schools contribute to a sense of safety among students, ultimately enhancing school engagement and providing teachers with more effective tools to support their students.¹⁶ By attending school events, parents send a clear message to their children that their education is valued and supported, boosting students' motivation and self-esteem.¹⁷ The parental presence and support help students feel safer and more confident in their school environment.

Parental involvement outside of school plays a crucial role in enhancing students’ academic success and overall educational outcomes. Recent empirical studies demonstrate that higher non-school-related parental involvement significantly increases the probability of high school completion.¹⁶ Research shows that parent involvement influences academic performance through two key mechanisms: increasing children's self-perception of cognitive competence and promoting stronger student-teacher relationships.¹⁸ The findings underscore the importance of encouraging and supporting parental engagement beyond the classroom to foster students’ academic achievement and personal growth.

Building on the positive outcomes of parental involvement, research has identified specific strategies to address parental over-engagement in K-5 private schools. Based on Skots' qualitative classical Delphi study, five consensus-based strategies emerged for addressing parental over-engagement in K-5 private schools. These include:¹⁹

1. Establishing consistent communication methods with clear response times and protocols
2. Creating welcoming environments with specific opportunities for parent engagement through planned events
3. Using and sharing objective data when discussing student progress
4. Fostering positive relationships by showing genuine care and actively listening to parental concerns
5. Monitoring and documenting progress using positive, strength-based language focusing on growth and achievement

The research revealed that effective solutions must address organizational structures and professional practices rather than focusing exclusively on modifying parental attitudes, suggesting that addressing parental over-engagement requires fundamental institutional transformation, including reshaping school culture, redefining parent roles and fostering student independence.¹⁹ These strategies highlight the importance of a balanced approach to parental engagement, emphasizing the need for clear boundaries and structured involvement to maximize positive outcomes for students.