Similarly, Strahan (2003) noted that the reform efforts of the three elementary schools he studied were driven by data-directed dialogue. He explained that this meant teachers’ collaborative efforts were always focused on data about student learning and directed toward increasing that learning. Louis and Marks (1998) examined the nature of impact of PLC on pedagogy and achievement to conclude that the focus on the intellectual quality of student learning within PLCs boosts achievement because it pushes teachers toward the use of authentic pedagogy. Finally, in the case study by Phillips (2003), interview data indicated that the teachers in this middle school continually analyzed data from each child to identify ways to affect his/her success both cognitively and affectively. Phillips concluded that the teachers ‘‘knew their students’ population well, and they deliberately created culturally relevant programs to make learning more meaningful’’ (p. 258). In the long run, the data across these studies indicated that a key element of successful PLCs is their pervasive attention to meeting the learning needs of their students.