By Barbara Blackburn and Ron Williamson
Closing the Achievement Gap: Principals Leading Change
One of the central responsibilities of instructional leaders is to address and close the achievement gap. Principals should lead this effort for two main reasons: first, it is fundamentally the right thing to do—every child who walks through a school’s doors deserves an equitable opportunity to learn and succeed; second, schools are held accountable by state and federal policies to narrow gaps in student achievement.
In Closing the Achievement Gap: A Vision for Changing Beliefs and Practices (2003), Belinda Williams identified four essential needs of students. We add a fifth: creating a personalized environment. Meeting these needs requires focused leadership and clear instructional priorities.
Needs of Students
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Provide a Rigorous Learning Environment
Rigor must be defined carefully. Emphasize quality over quantity: true rigor focuses on depth of understanding rather than assigning more practice problems. Rigor is not reserved for advanced students—it is for every learner, including those at risk, students with disabilities, and English language learners. Most importantly, authentic rigor centers on learning, growth, and success, not punishment.
Leaders should inspire teachers to raise the level of challenge in ways that are positive and productive. That requires clear expectations, strong instructional strategies, and consistent supports so students can engage meaningfully with complex content and tasks.
Provide a Personalized Learning Environment
Students do better when they feel connected to school. Research and practice show that a supportive relationship with even a single adult in a school increases a student’s chances of staying in school and achieving at higher levels.
Personalization can take many forms. In elementary settings, the classroom teacher often provides continuity and a stable relationship. Middle and high schools may use advisory programs in which small groups of students meet regularly with an assigned teacher to monitor academic progress and discuss social and academic challenges.
Some schools organize into smaller units to foster stronger relationships. Examples include multi-grade wings, interdisciplinary teams at the middle level, and small “schools-within-a-school” at the high-school level. These models allow teachers to know students more deeply and coordinate support. Within classrooms, personalized instruction or differentiated approaches tailor learning to individual needs. Whatever the model, the commitment must be to build authentic, caring relationships between teachers and students.
Hire and Retain Quality Teachers
Closing the achievement gap begins with hiring and supporting excellent teachers. Standardize the hiring process so all candidates are treated fairly and decisions are based on clear, job-related criteria. Distinguish required qualifications from desirable qualities, ensure compliance with employment law, and document every step.
Design interview protocols linked to selection criteria. Use open-ended questions that elicit evidence of a candidate’s instructional skill and capacity to support diverse learners. Respect the process and candidates—complete interviews professionally and follow up with courteous communication to those not selected.
After hiring, place your most skilled teachers with students who need the most support. Avoid concentrating strong teachers only with high-achieving classes; instead, balance assignments to maximize impact and reduce teacher burnout.
Develop High Expectations
High expectations are a driving force for student achievement. When we expect students to reach high standards and provide the support they need, students respond. High expectations begin with the belief that every student has potential and that success is achievable at each student’s level.
Words of expectation must match actions. Evaluate classrooms for evidence of rigor: Are lessons designed to promote complex thinking? Do teachers use higher-level questioning consistent with frameworks such as Webb’s Depth of Knowledge? Are students being pushed to explain reasoning and justify answers?
Be aware of lowered expectations that sometimes appear unconsciously in staff talk or practice. Address these through focused professional development and collaborative conversations that realign beliefs and classroom behaviors with high expectations for all students.
Provide Support for Students
High expectations must be matched with strong supports. Rigorous instruction should include scaffolding that helps students move toward more challenging work. Teachers need to ask continually, “What extra support do my students need at this moment?”
Effective scaffolding strategies include graphic organizers, mentor texts, modeling, the concrete-representational-abstract sequence, structured academic discourse, and targeted vocabulary instruction. These approaches help students manage complexity and build independence as they tackle higher-level tasks.
A Final Note
Closing the achievement gap is a complex, ongoing challenge. Progress requires a coherent approach: create rigorous, high-quality learning environments; personalize learning so students feel known and supported; hire and retain skilled teachers; set and model high expectations; and embed scaffolds that enable students to succeed. When these elements work together, schools can make real, sustained gains in equity and achievement.
About the Authors
Barbara Blackburn is a widely recognized expert in instruction, rigor, student motivation, and leadership. She is the bestselling author of multiple books including Rigor Is NOT a Four-Letter Word and Motivating Struggling Learners: 10 Ways to Build Student Success. She consults with schools and districts on professional learning and leadership.
Dr. Ronald Williamson teaches courses in the principalship, school law, and the politics and ethics of education. He has served as a building- and central-office administrator and as an executive director of a national middle-level association. Dr. Williamson has authored and contributed to numerous publications on middle-level education and leadership.
This article was originally published by The Learning Counsel, a research institute and media hub focused on the shift to digital curriculum in education.