In a recent episode of the Making Schools Work podcast, Senior Instructional Coach Daniel Rock sat down with Dr. Marck Abraham, CEO of MEA Consultant Services, to discuss how he moved a high school graduation rate from 60% to 87%.

While many leaders treat “culture” as a series of icebreakers and staff luncheons, Abraham argues that true school culture is the heartbeat of teaching and learning.

The Asset Test of Love: Creating a Culture of Accountability

Abraham defines school culture as the norms and values of a community. He challenges leaders to adopt a Culture of Love, but not in the way you might think.

He says that many teachers think that loving their students means coddling them, but that often, the reverse is true.

Using a “mechanic shop” analogy, he explains that a mechanic can be friendly and offer you donuts, but if your car isn’t fixed when you leave, they haven’t actually served you.

In education, the “asset test” of love is whether a student is proficient in reading and math and prepared for the world when they graduate. If expectations are low, you aren’t showing love; you are showing pity.

True love is holding students — and ourselves — accountable for results.

The Path to Accountability: Moving Away From “Data Rich,” “Decision Poor”

One way Abraham suggests schools can make sure their students and teachers are being shown love through accountability is by paying attention to the data. Abraham suggests that many schools are data rich but decision poor.  By focusing on the ABCs of data, they can improve instruction:

• Attendance: This includes both students and teachers. Teacher attendance is often a primary indicator of school culture, as people “vote with their feet.”
• Behavior: Look beyond surface-level issues. For example, if three kids are vaping but 70 are skipping first period, the real culture problem is a lack of urgency for learning, not just vaping.
• Course Passing: This data is a direct reflection of the teacher’s impact in the classroom. If only 30% of students are passing, it signals the adult needs coaching or a change in strategy.

Actionable Steps for School Leaders

To shift your school’s culture toward high expectations, consider these four strategies:

1. Audit Your Messaging: Ask your leadership team to write down the school’s vision and goals. If the answers are disjointed, your message isn’t clear enough.
2. Stay on the Balcony: Principals have an indirect impact on student achievement. You cannot be in every seat, but you must have systems (and designees) ensuring that high-quality instruction is happening in every room.
3. Hard on Data, Soft on People: Use objective rubrics and data sets to have conversations with staff. It’s not about “picking on” individuals; it’s about ensuring every student gets a return on the multimillion-dollar investment that is their education.
4. Hold Yourself Accountable Too: If you blame everyone else but you for your school’s problem, then that’s a problem. A good leader shows themselves love by holding themselves just as accountable as they do their teachers and students.

Hear More From Marck Abraham

Listen to the full conversation with Marck Abraham on the Making Schools Work podcast for more on the “Success Model” for school turnaround.

You can also hear more from Abraham by reading our post on his session from the 2024 Making Schools Work Conference or by attending his featured presentation session at the 2026 Making Schools Work Conference in Nashville on July 14-17.

He will also be a featured speaker for the Coaching That Works Learning Community at the Making Schools Work Conference.