The pressure for school reform is ever increasing. Districts are continually being pressured to develop schools that have students achieving high standards on state assessments. Policy changes alone cannot bring the changes necessary to accomplish these goals. If school reform is to take place and real change to occur, it must focus not only on policy change, but also on cultural change as well (Gorton, School Leadership and Administration, 2009). Leaders need to realize that every school has a developed culture consisting of traditions, beliefs and habits which are built in patterns of behavior that have built up over time (Shaping school culture: The heart of leadership, 1998). These behaviors affect every part of the school from what the faculty talks about in the lunch room to the style of instruction in the classroom, kind of professional development, and how students view the importance of learning (Peterson T. E., 1998). Numerous studies have also recognized that organizational culture is vital to the successful improvement of teaching and learning (Fullan, 1998, pp. 6-10).
             The organizational culture of the school needs be understood before school reform is attempted. Analyzing such factors as history of the organization, characteristics of the organization, existing problems and outside demands will help the administrator to be in a position to make cultural change that leads to positive school reform (School Leadership and Administration, 2009). So, what stops leaders from strengthening school cultures? Is it because it is viewed by leaders as having less significance compared to standards and testing? Or is it that leaders think that understanding the cultural characteristics of schools is of little importance in leadership. By reading the book Shaping School Culture Deal and Peterson help leaders understand that changing school culture is at the heart of school reform. They indicate that "cultural patterns are hi...