The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Title I school performance and effective district leadership and reform strategies. This study focused on the successful attributes and characteristics of principals whose high-performing (the percentage of students that meet or exceed on the AzMERIT assessment) high-poverty schools are excelling academically. The schools recognized had greater than 51% of students meeting or exceeding on the AzMERIT assessment. In this paper, a mixed-methods non-experimental study included the Papa Leadership Survey and RQ1: What are the characteristics of principals' in high-performing high-poverty schools and RQ2: What are the program components of School Improvement Grant reform programs in high-performing high-poverty schools as implemented by the principal? Thirteen principals participated in the study. Elementary, middle and high schools participated from rural and urban Arizona. Effective characteristics identified from the study included purposeful learning, student-centered decision making, progress monitoring, positive relationships, high expectations, mission and vision, safe and positive environments, quality supervision of instruction, and targeted professional development. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]