The purpose of this study is to evaluate the stages of
effective school performance based on 11 characteristics of
effective schools as well as to evaluate the level of correlation
between individual characteristics of effective schools and the
contribution of the school principal leadership to an effective
school. 60 school principals and 105 teachers in 16 schools
became sample of the research. The number of teachers took as
many as 7 to 10 people for each school. The quantitative data
were obtained through a set of instruments on 11 characteristics
of effective schools. The data were then analyzed descriptively
using frequency, min score, percentage, standard deviation, and
inferential statistics (Pearson’s correlation, simple linear
regression). Findings showed the stages of effective school
performance of Public Senior High Schools in Padang as
perceived by the principals and teachers were very high. There
was a significant correlation between the professional principal
leadership with the realization of 11 characteristics of effective
schools. The professional principal leadership contributed as
much as 58.5% to the realization of 11 characteristics of effective
schools in Public Senior High Schools in Padang while the other
percentage was contributed by other variabels not included in this
study. The principal leadership was an important factor for the
realization of 11 characteristics of effective schools in Public
Senior High Schools in Padang.
Keywords: Leadership, effective schools, school performance