The primary purpose of the quantitative study was to examine how principals impact student achievement through their interactions with others. The study sought to determine the effectiveness of specific interactions of principals on transforming teaching practices for improved student test scores. A second area of study examined whether principals have the ability to strengthen and improve student achievement within their schools and identify interactions and instructional approaches that are employed to improve student-learning outcomes. Approaches include the use of professional development to help teachers hone their classroom instruction. Topics included differentiated instruction, multiple intelligence theory, and increased engagement and expectations. The study determined whether these and other instructional characteristics and techniques are supported by school leaders and whether that support has an impact on student success.

What are the current perceptions of teachers of Grades 4–8 on how principal interactions impact engagement, expectations, and differentiation as they relate to student achievement scores? Is there a statistically significant difference based on a school’s location type for an engagement composite score? Is there a statistically significant difference based on a school’s location type for an expectation composite score? Is there a statistically significant difference based on school’s location type for a differentiation composite score? Does the engagement, expectations, and differentiation composite score explain a statistically significant amount of variance within language arts growth model scores? Does the engagement, expectations, and differentiation composite score explain a statistically significant amount of variance within math growth model scores.

Based on the findings, this study’s results showed that engagement was a statistically significant predictor of language arts growth scores t(2, 1155) = 2.46, p = .014. Engagement had an unstandardized partial regression coefficient of 1.255, which means language arts growth scores are predicted to increase 1.255 with a one-unit increase in engagement composite scores. Results for math showed that engagement was a statistically significant predictor of math growth scores t(2, 1155) = 1.98, p = .048. Engagement had an unstandardized partial regression coefficient of -1.414, which means math growth scores are predicted to decrease 1.414 with a one-unit increase in engagement composite scores. The following characteristics of engagement, expectation, differentiation location type and poverty status can be found in greater detail within the study.