Ask any seasoned educator, and they’ll tell you: school culture makes or breaks a learning environment. Now, a growing body of research confirms what practitioners have long known—positive culture fuels both student achievement and teacher satisfaction. In this article, we explore current research and learn how the practices of two nationally recognized principals exemplify school culture research in action. Finally, we offer practical daily strategies teachers can implement to create classroom environments where students are engaged, supported, and motivated to learn.
Culture and Achievement: A Potent Connection
A strong, positive school culture is more than an abstract ideal—it is a measurable, actionable force that creates the conditions in which academic and social development can flourish. Longitudinal data by Daily et al. (2020) affirms that school climate is closely associated with academic achievement. Their study found that schools with strong climates not only helped high-achieving students maintain their strong performance but also improved the achievement of students with average or lower grades. Among the cultural elements identified, student-teacher relationships emerged as especially influential. Nurturing relationships are consistently linked to better student outcomes across the board.
Teachers Play a Powerful Role
While whole-school climate is impactful, what happens inside each classroom is equally critical. Research by Cents-Boostra et al. (2020) highlights the central role of motivating teaching practices in maintaining student engagement. When teachers support students’ autonomy, competence, and sense of connection, students respond with greater motivation and sustained attention. In fact, student engagement is not fixed based on students’ own tendencies—it is deeply influenced by the relational and instructional environment teachers create.
Culture as a Teacher Retention Strategy
Positive culture doesn't just help students—it also protects and sustains teachers. In high-poverty settings especially, school culture plays a vital role in attracting and retaining effective educators. Lochmiller, Perrone, and Finley (2024) examined how school leadership shapes retention and found that certain practices were particularly impactful:
- Fostering meaningful engagement with families
- Addressing student behavior issues both proactively and responsively
- Cultivating professional collaboration grounded in shared mission and values
- Building trust through consistency and care
- Regularly recognizing and appreciating staff contributions
When school leaders are visible, communicative, and supportive, they boost morale and help build a culture where educators want to stay.
Leadership That Builds Culture
Across the country, school leaders are already bringing this research to life. One nationally recognized secondary principal outlines seven steps for shaping a connected, committed school community (Arencibia, 2023):
- Define core values and make them part of daily life.
- Lead by example, exemplifying core values in every interaction.
- Align hiring and promotion practices, ensuring staff embody the values.
- Create spaces of high engagement for student learning and educators’ professional growth.
- Build a powerful school community team, including families, students, and the local community.
- Celebrate and reinforce positive behaviors, recognizing staff and students and facilitating team building and collaboration.
- Let success inspire more success by celebrating achievements in varied forms, from academic milestones to personal growth.
Click for the related resource, Tips for Nurturing a Thriving School Culture (EdWeek).
At the elementary level, another nationally recognized principal has shared how school culture can be cultivated through intentional leadership practices (Edutopia, 2024):
- Maintain consistent visibility throughout the building
- Use affirming, positive language
- Build strong relationships across the school community
- Protect teacher time and prioritize collaborative data-based planning
- Help staff understand one another’s strengths
- Empower teachers as leaders and attending to their well-being
- Foster a sense of emotional safety in the building
What Teachers Can Do Daily
As research shows, student engagement is driven not just by curriculum but by human connection. The classroom environment—and the teacher-student relationship in particular—can shape students’ long-term trajectories (Cents-Boostra, et al., 2020). Everyday interactions, including how teachers communicate with students, structure learning, encourage autonomy, and respond to behavior, have lasting impact.
Research shows that teachers’ day-to-day interactions with students are among the most powerful tools for shaping students’ motivation, engagement, and long-term success. By incorporating five daily practices, educators can cultivate an environment where their students feel seen, supported, and motivated.
Click to download Everyday Moves for Enduring Impact: Five Daily Strategies for Student Engagement and bring these five practices to life in the classroom.
Culture is Built Together
Positive school culture isn’t a “nice to have”—it's the foundation for everything that happens in a school. When leaders and teachers invest in relationships, structure, and support, they create conditions where everyone can thrive and grow. While transforming culture takes time, effort, and intention, small, consistent research-backed actions will ultimately lead to enduring impact.
