Last week, I was fortunate enough to visit Ron Clark Academy (RCA) in Atlanta for the 4th time, and each visit reinforces what makes this school exceptional. After visiting, many would think that it’s the vibrant almost Disneyworld-esque campus that makes the magic happen. Some would argue that it’s the eager parents, praying their children get admitted. Others would say that it’s the special kind of kids attending. And while all those are unique in their own right, they really are not what drives RCA’s success.
I have no doubt that if RCA was stripped down to its former factory bare, brick walls, with the average, everyday parents sending their kids to school like we all do, that this school would continue to excel and turn out the same level of success. Here’s why.
Belief
At RCA, the staff’s belief in their learners is the foundation of all they do, and it’s not wishful thinking. The kids here mirror those at most schools: a third arrive with academic struggles, a third with behavior challenges, and nearly all from low socioeconomic homes. They’re not an elite crew; they’re everyday students with real obstacles. Yet the teachers don’t blink. Chatting with 4th graders on my last visit, I asked what stood out from their prior year in 3rd grade in public schools. All three had the same answer: “The teachers here expect so much from us. They teach us ‘up here.’” One boy said, “Last year, stuff was easy, and teachers didn’t care if we didn’t try. Here, they make us do our best every time.” There are no excuses. The staff sets the bar high and holds their learners to it. The work is in lifting up, coaching up, scaffolding up, and learning up every single kid in every single classroom to the bar. That starts with the belief that they all can and all will when engaged and challenged.
This belief is doubled down when you look at the staff’s belief in themselves. RCA teachers don’t squander energy blaming poverty or past gaps. They KNOW they can change lives. This staff sees potential when it looks at kids, not deficits. They set towering expectations and fearlessly push every learner to meet them, in every area of their lives. The teachers challenge learners with tough lessons, unafraid to demand effort, even when exhaustion creeps in. They’re not robots, frustration hits, coffee runs low, but they don’t falter. Their “No Fear” faith in their own impact keeps them going, proving they’re the key to unlocking each child’s potential. That’s collective teacher efficacy (ES= 1.01), academic press (ES=1.15) and teacher credibility (ES= 1.09), 3 of the top 9 influences, that every staff member believes in and lives at RCA.
Belonging
Belonging at RCA isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a mission. It’s woven throughout RCA and its use of the house system. The houses (Amistad, Rêveur, Isibindi, Altruismo) burst with identity, from chants to competitions. Kids don’t just attend class at RCA; they belong to something bigger, united in a purpose. But there’s more ways the staff ensures that every kid here belongs. They huddle together, laying out photos of every student, and each adult places a sticker on kids they’ve bonded with. At the end, they spot the outliers, those with few or no stickers, and target them for connection. No child slips through unnoticed. Belonging’s effect size at 0.48, solid evidence it boosts learning, and RCA lives it.
The house system isn’t only for the kids. Parents and board members are in houses, too. The staff throw open the doors, welcoming parents and adults into the fold with events and opportunities to join the action. They make it their mission to create a place where adults outside of school can be a part of what happens in school. That’s no accident. The staff’s fearless commitment, risking time and tradition, ensures every kid and family feels rooted, welcomed and a part of something bigger.
So, What’s Stopping Us?
So, if the staff are the engine behind RCA’s success, why isn’t every school mirroring this model? RCA isn’t a utopia. Behavior issues flare up, kids are kids, after all. Academic struggles surface, and not every lesson lands perfectly. The staff talks about the tough days, the moments when they’re stretched thin. And yet, parents still cry tears of joy when their child gets accepted because they know RCA delivers something transformative. The difference isn’t in the absence of problems; it’s in how the staff responds. They lean into their culture of belonging and their belief in learners, tackling challenges as a united front. They don’t make excuses for their failures, they make progress for their futures.
Contrast that with so many schools where potential lies dormant. Every school has bright kids with big dreams. Every school has behavior hiccups and academic gaps. So what’s the holdup? Nothing inherent to the kids, the parents, or even the buildings. It’s us, the adults in schools. I’ve seen it firsthand: teachers who lower expectations because “these kids can’t handle more,” leaders who shrug at mediocrity, staff who work in silos instead of in sync. RCA proves it doesn’t have to be that way. The learners I talked to didn’t mention fancy tech or doting parents as the difference, they pointed to their teachers’ high standards. If RCA’s staff can push through fatigue and frustration to build something extraordinary, so can we. The only thing stopping every school from becoming an RCA is our choices, our willingness to unite, to believe, and to act.
So, What Now?
Four trips to Ron Clark Academy have etched this truth into my core: the building might dazzle, and parents might cheer, but the staff is the heartbeat. They believe in their learner, flaws, challenges, and all, and in their own power to lift them up. They forge belonging with houses, stickers, and open arms for families, fearlessly doing what’s best. This does not happen by luck or chance, but courage. RCA isn’t a mythical, unattainable standard; it’s a mirror, reflecting what’s possible when adults choose to act.
So, what now? If we want our schools to echo RCA’s magic, it starts with us, the adults in the building. We don’t need flying dragons, mystical portals, or studio-quality décor. We already have everything we need to spark transformation within our own walls. It begins with believing every single kid can and will learn at high levels. It continues by making everyone in the building a part of something, an unstoppable force on a mission to make the best learning happen because that’s what every kid deserves. Don’t envy a place like RCA; go make your school a place where kids love to come to learn, where parents cry knowing their children are so fortunate and where the staff has courage to create magic. If RCA’s team can push past doubt, we can too. The only thing stopping us is our choice to fear risk over chasing what’s right. In a glitzy campus or a concrete shell, the staff’s bold choices spark the magic. Every school can be an RCA if we adults ditch fear and decide it’s worth it. No new toys or perfect kids needed, just the guts to believe, connect and never stop growing.
