Hoachlander and Beltranena (2001) did an extensive review of
the literature on school reform. They found that successful school
improvement depended on six main categories: 1) raising the bar
in terms of academic expectations, 2) increasing student motivation
through pedagogy and support services, 3) sustained professional
development for teachers, 4) effective school
management, 5) building relationships with parents and the community,
and 6) having an effective assessment plan to provide
accountability. Successful school reform should derive from consensus
and an appropriate power balance between leadership
and staff. Felton-Montgomery and McCoy (2003) prepared a
report linking school reform research to practice, based on interviews
with school principals. These authors stated the following: