Top 5 Things You Need to Know About Collective Efficacy
We know it has a 1.57 effect size. What else?
Collective efficacy isn’t just a feel-good concept- it’s legit. When teams of educators believe in their ability to impact student outcomes, the ripple effect can transform schools, communities, and beyond. Here are 5 things you need to know about collective efficacy:
It’s Huge for Learning
You know that feeling when you leave your kids with someone you trust—whether it’s grandma or a trusted babysitter—and you can walk away confident that everything will be fine? That’s what collective efficacy is like in schools. When you trust that the team can get the job done, everyone works harder, pushes through obstacles, and achieves more.
It’s a Higher Predictor Than Socio-Economic Status
Studies have found that collective efficacy actually has a bigger impact on student achievement than socioeconomic status (SES). Of course, we know SES plays a role—it’s evident in the way Damarian shows up each day or in how we struggle to get some kids to come to school. But we can't let those challenges be the excuse that holds us back from creating great schools. Collective efficacy reminds us that, regardless of external factors, when we come together as a team and believe in our ability to make a difference, we can still move mountains for our students. These Tennessee schools are doing it.
It’s Task-Specific
While collective efficacy is about an overall belief in your team, it’s also highly task-specific. It’s not just about feeling capable in general—it’s about having confidence in your ability to tackle specific challenges. For example, I might not always trust Ms. Williams to pick up her kids from specials on time, but I trust her to run her small groups daily. It's that kind of targeted confidence in each other’s strengths that makes collective efficacy so powerful.
It Grows Over Time
Collective efficacy is not a one-and-done kind of thing—it evolves and deepens over time. When teams succeed in small, measurable ways, their belief in their collective power grows.
Leadership is Key
You can’t do any of this without leadership. It's not just about setting the vision but about consistently reinforcing the belief that the group can accomplish its goals together.
