What Really Moves the Needle on Student Learning

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So good to see you again. Let’s get to it.

If money, technology, and curriculum were all that mattered, we’d have solved education by now. But despite decades of reform, big-budget initiatives, and endless programs, student achievement still varies widely from classroom to classroom - even within the same school.

So what actually makes the difference?

It’s not a trick question, and the answer isn’t groundbreaking. In fact, it’s been staring us in the face for years:

✅ The single most powerful factor in student achievement is the collective efficacy of teachers.

When teachers work together, believe in their impact, and consistently push for better outcomes, students win. Every time.

The Research is Clear: Teacher Collaboration Changes the Game

John Hattie’s Visible Learning research analyzed more than 1,600 meta-analyses covering 95,000 studies on student achievement. What did he find?

• Collective Teacher Efficacy (CTE) has the highest impact on student learning of any factor - 1.57 effect size (for context, an effect size of 0.4 is considered “normal growth” in one year).

• Effective Feedback (0.7 effect size) significantly improves student achievement, but only when it’s timely, specific, and actionable.

• High Expectations (0.43 effect size) impact student performance more than any single curriculum change.

The takeaway? What happens inside the school matters far more than external factors.

But knowing this isn’t enough. The real question is: How do we build schools where teachers operate at their highest level?

What This Looks Like in Action

Here’s what school leaders can do to create an environment where teachers thrive and, in turn, students achieve more:

Build a Culture of Shared Expertise

• If teachers aren’t regularly working together, analyzing student work, and sharing strategies, their impact is limited.

• Effective PLCs (not compliance-driven meetings) allow teachers to co-plan lessons, problem-solve challenges, and refine instruction based on data.

• The best schools don’t operate with a “my class” mentality. It’s our students, our outcomes, our responsibility.

Shift From Evaluating to Coaching

• If the only time teachers see their principal in the classroom is for an evaluation, we have a problem.

• Leaders should be in classrooms to help teachers refine their craft - not just rate their performance.

• Ask better questions: Instead of “How did the lesson go?” try, “What do students know now that they didn’t 10 minutes ago?”

Making Learning Visible

• Strong instruction isn’t about covering content; it’s about evidence of learning.

• Set clear learning goals so students know what they’re trying to accomplish.

• Provide ongoing feedback that helps students adjust their thinking. (A grade alone isn’t feedback.)

• Model metacognition - students should regularly reflect on how they’re learning, not just what they’re learning.

Foster High Expectations for Every Student

• The research is clear: When teachers believe students can achieve, they do.

• This doesn’t mean blind optimism - it means setting high expectations and providing the support needed to meet them.

• Rigor must be consistent across classrooms - high standards can’t be optional.

Leadership Moves You Can Make This Week

Facilitate True Teacher Collaboration: Look at your master schedule. Are teachers getting meaningful, structured time to work together? If not, fix it.

Change the Conversation in Observations: Move beyond checklists. Focus on student thinking and learning in every walkthrough.

Create a System for Instructional Feedback: Instead of annual evaluations, implement quick, weekly coaching touchpoints with teachers.

Track the Right Data: Standardized test scores aren’t the only metric. Look at daily engagement, classroom discussion depth, and the quality of student work.

Final Thought: The Work That Actually Matters Moves the Needle

If we know that collective efficacy has the highest impact on student learning, the real question is:

Are we building schools where teachers feel empowered, supported, and challenged?

New initiatives won’t save struggling schools. New programs won’t magically boost student achievement. The work that matters most is right in front of us: building the conditions for great teaching to thrive.

This week, make one small move to strengthen your teaching team - it’ll do more for student learning than any curriculum ever could.

What’s one strategy you’ve seen make a real difference? Hit reply and share!

PS: Don’t forget to hit the forward button and share this with at least one educator who could use The Progress Report in their inbox each week.

On A Recent Episode of The Principal School Podcast…

If this week’s email got you thinking about what really moves the needle on student learning, here’s the next step: making sure your teachers have what they need to thrive.

In one of the latest episodes of The Principal School Podcast - How Principals Can Help Their Teachers Thrive, I break down:

1️⃣ Leadership that Listens: Practical strategies to gather and act on teacher feedback to build trust.
2️⃣ Collaboration that Matters: Tips for making collaboration time meaningful and productive, fostering teamwork and innovation.
3️⃣ Resource Alignment: How to provide tools and training that teachers actually need. 4️⃣ Building a Thriving Culture: Insights into creating an environment where positivity and trust pave the way for success.

Because when teachers thrive, students succeed. Period.

Listen Now! 🎧