The Leaders’ Evaluation and Analysis Development (LEAD) Tool provides the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) with a data set to measure the level of teacher effectiveness at every school site. The LEAD Tool data variables also provide teacher, principal, and schools with data that may have a relationship with a school’s overall academic growth. This quantitative study explored the relationship between the school growth data variables and various teacher, principal, and school data variables contained in LEAD Tool data for the 2012–13 and the 2013–14 school years. The study analysis examined LEAD Tool data for 437 elementary schools within LAUSD.

Quantitative research methods were used to analyze the data, and the findings were presented in narrative format. The variable analysis findings were consistent with those found in literature review and some revealed statistically significant correlations. The analysis also found statistically significant relationships between variables that are not readily available in the literature. The findings suggest that specific variables, such as a school’s Concentration of Teachers with LEAD Indicators (CTLI) that has more influence on school academic growth and Academic Performance Index (API) ranking than other data variables found in the LEAD Tool. The findings also suggest that a school’s principal turnover, principal experience and Concentration of Teachers with Lead Indicators (CTLI) demonstrate statistically significant relationship with variables such as API rank, teacher turnover, and teacher evaluations completed at schools.

The study provides insights into the LEAD Tool’s potential as a guiding resource for LAUSD leaders to examine, plan, and implement strategies that may result in an increase in school achievement. The data correlations and subsequent analysis from this study provided a foundation to better understand the relationships found among the LEAD Tool data variables. Utilizing these findings may help school leaders to better utilize LEAD Tool data in a strategic effort to emphasize specific school improvement efforts.