Boyd-Zaharias and Pate-Bain (2008) postulated that low achievement and high dropout rates among poor students continue to “plague” (p. 40) public schools in the United States; and elaborated further by stating, “our nation will profit by or pay for whatever they become” (p. 40). Chenoweth (2009a, 2009b) and Haycock (2001) shared that the country continues to move forward with reform efforts though the achievement gap between poor students and their non-poor peers does not tend to close, rather it widens. Therefore, the achievement gap between poor students and their peers, a problem of practice, is the focus of this study.

The researcher chose a narrative case study in a high performing, high poverty school in Missouri. The perceptions of stakeholders regarding the leadership processes and structures implemented by the principal were examined through the lens of transformational leadership. The following two overarching themes emerged: (1) Educating the Whole Child and (2) High Expectations of Stakeholders. The researcher found that by focusing on the themes the school was able to increase and sustain academic achievement of the students of poverty as well as their peers when assessment data from the Missouri Achievement Program (MAP) were analyzed. School personnel across the United States could replicate the leadership processes and structures identified through this case study.