How School Leaders Can Turn Around Underperforming Schools Through Culture First

Low performance is often a symptom, not the root problem. The real issue is usually culture. Students do not feel connected. Teachers feel stretched. Systems feel unclear.

Research supports this. A 2023 Gallup study found that schools with high student engagement saw up to 30% higher academic performance. Another report from the Learning Policy Institute showed that positive school climate strongly correlates with attendance and graduation rates.

Culture is not soft. It drives outcomes.

If students feel safe, they try. If teachers feel supported, they stay. If systems are clear, people execute.

What “Culture First” Actually Means

Culture first is not posters on walls. It is daily behavior and focusing on expectations.

It is how adults speak to students. It is how leaders respond to mistakes. It is how expectations are enforced.

One principal described his first year in a struggling school. He walked into a classroom where students were consistently talking over a teacher. No one corrected it.

He did not send a memo. He stood at the door the next morning. He greeted every student. He corrected the tone. He modelled calm. He repeated it every day.

By month two, the noise dropped. By month six, teachers started using the same approach.

That is culture. Repetition. Consistency. Visibility.

Step 1: Set Clear, Simple Expectations

Confusion hurts performance.

Leaders must define what “good” looks like. Not in theory. In action.

• How do students enter a classroom?
• How do teachers start a lesson?
• What happens when rules are not followed?

Write it down. Train it. Model it.

A school in Connecticut reduced behavior incidents by over 40% in one year after introducing simple, shared routines across all classrooms.

The key was not complexity. It was consistency.

Step 2: Build Trust Through Daily Actions

Trust is not built in meetings. It is built in moments.

Leaders must be visible. Walk halls. Visit classrooms. Listen more than they speak.

One leader made it a habit to ask one teacher each day, “What is one thing slowing you down?” He wrote it down. He followed up.

Within months, staff started sharing more openly. Challenges surfaced faster. Solutions came quicker.

Students need the same approach. Ask them what is working. Ask what is not.

People support what they help shape.

Step 3:  School Culture First

Students mirror adults.

If teachers are disengaged, students will be too.

Start with staff alignment.

• Set shared norms for meetings.
• Keep communication clear and short.
• Address issues directly.

A school turnaround effort in Chicago found that teacher collaboration and trust were stronger predictors of student success than funding increases.

Culture spreads from the top. If leaders are calm, focused and fair, staff will follow.

Step 4: Focus on Small Wins Early

Big goals can stall momentum.

Start small. Show progress fast.

One school tracked hallway behaviour for 30 days. They set one goal: reduce late arrivals.

They monitored daily. They celebrated weekly.

By the end of the month, tardiness dropped by 25%.

That success built belief. Then they moved to classroom engagement.

Momentum matters. People need to see change working.

Step 5: Make Feedback Immediate and Specific

Generic praise does nothing.

Specific feedback drives improvement.

Instead of “good job,” say, “You kept students engaged for the full 20 minutes by asking follow-up questions and having them lead the work.”

Instead of “fix behavior,” say, “Pause before giving instructions so students can reset.”

One leader kept a notebook. After each classroom visit, he wrote one strength and one next step. He shared it the same day.

Teachers improved faster because feedback was clear.

Step 6: Create a Safe Space for Mistakes

Fear blocks growth.

If teachers fear judgement, they avoid risk. If students fear failure, they stop trying.

Leaders must model learning.

One principal shared a failed lesson plan during a staff meeting. He explained the challenges. He asked for input.

That changed the tone. Teachers started sharing their own challenges.

Mistakes became data, not drama.

Step 7: Align Systems With Culture

Culture fails when systems fight it.

If a school values consistency but allows different expectations in each classroom, confusion grows.

Audit systems:

• Discipline policies
• Grading practices
• Communication channels

Align them with the culture you want.

A district in Texas saw improved test scores after standardising lesson structures across schools. Teachers had flexibility within a clear framework.

Structure supports culture.

Step 8: Measure What Matters

Track the right data.

Test scores matter. But they lag.

Track leading indicators:

• Attendance rates
• Behaviour incidents
• Classroom engagement
• Teacher retention

A Harvard study found that chronic absenteeism predicts lower academic outcomes more reliably than standardised tests alone.

If attendance improves, learning will follow.

Step 9: Stay Consistent Over Time

Culture change takes time.

One leader shared that his school took seven years to fully turn around. In year one, results barely moved. In year three, systems stabilised. By year five, performance improved.

He said, “In year one, I corrected the same hallway behaviour every day. It felt repetitive. By year two, students corrected each other.”

That is the shift.

Consistency beats intensity.

Step 10: Keep the Focus on Students

It is easy to get lost in systems.

Always return to students.

Talk to them. Watch them. Learn from them.

A teacher noticed that students were more engaged during group work than lectures. She adjusted her lessons. Engagement improved.

Small observations lead to big changes.

Leaders must stay close to the classroom.

Real-World Example of Culture-First Leadership

One education leader, Michael Pisseri, helped turn around a low-performing elementary school over several years.

He did not start with test prep. He started with culture.

He focused on behavior, trust and routines. He made expectations clear. He stayed visible. He repeated the process daily.

The school later earned recognition for both climate and academic performance.

The lesson is simple. Work on the environment. Results follow.

Action Plan for School Leaders

Start with these steps:

1. Define 3–5 non-negotiable behaviors.
2. Model them daily.
3. Visit classrooms every day.
4. Give one piece of specific feedback per visit.
5. Track one simple metric weekly.
6. Celebrate small improvements.
7. Repeat for 90 days.

Do not overcomplicate it. This is key!

Final Thoughts

Turning around a school is not about quick wins.

It is about steady systems. Clear expectations. Daily effort.

Culture is built in small moments. A greeting at the door. A calm correction. A clear routine.

When those moments add up, results change.

Start there. Stay consistent. Let culture lead.