Publication

Greenhouse Schools

How Schools Can Build Cultures Where Teachers and Students Thrive

Greenhouse schools are able to keep effective teachers and grow students by prioritizing great teaching above all else.

We’ve come across schools that are exceptional at accelerating student learning by developing and keeping great teachers. We call them “greenhouse schools”—schools with carefully fostered cultures that help teachers and students reach greater heights. But what is it that they are doing differently?

Greenhouse Schools explains what we learned from surveying thousands of teachers in 250 schools nationwide about several dimensions of their schools’ cultures.

Key Findings:

  • Teachers want schools with a strong instructional culture—a culture that fosters great teaching.
  • Schools with strong instructional cultures retain more of their top teachers and help students learn more.
  • A stronger instructional culture is within reach of any committed school leader.
  • Dramatic improvements in instructional culture are possible—sometimes in just one year.

Based on the results we also present a roadmap for principals to put these lessons to use in their own schools right now. Improving instructional culture is hard work, but it’s also well within the grasp of any committed school or district leader.

Additional Resources

Imali Ariyarathne, seventh-grade teacher at Langston Hughes Academy, stands in front of her students while introducing them to the captivating world of science

Imali Ariyarathne, seventh-grade teacher at Langston Hughes Academy, introduces her students to the captivating world of science.

About TNTP

TNTP is the nation’s leading research, policy, and consulting organization dedicated to transforming America’s public education system, so that every generation thrives.

Today, we work side-by-side with educators, system leaders, and communities across 39 states and over 6,000 districts nationwide to reach ambitious goals for student success.

Yet the possibilities we imagine push far beyond the walls of school and the education field alone. We are catalyzing a movement across sectors to create multiple pathways for young people to achieve academic, economic, and social mobility.

Learn More About TNTP