Principals matter a great deal in establishing a culture of excellence in schools. It has been known that an "ineffective" principal can create significant problems that impede teachers from carrying out their tasks and poor leadership may eventually affect academic excellence in students. A leader who does not have the skill sets to model and reinforce the implementation of high trust and collaboration practices may have limited influence on the progress of the school. The limited research on professional preparation and continued support in promoting a culture of high trust and open collaboration for school principals creates an opportunity to contribute to the research field. Research shows that our educational system is not supporting all students and coupled with an extreme teacher shortage, exceptional leadership is needed more than ever. There is also not enough research on professional development for principals to promote a culture of high trust and open collaboration. This lack of research on professional preparation for principals can impede the improvement of school culture and student outcomes. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate effective Texas school leaders who have created a culture of high trust and open collaboration within the context of academic excellence. The findings indicated four main themes and three sub-themes that emerged. The four main themes that emerged were: developing teachers to implement an environment of trust and collaboration is needed, trust and collaboration are essential pieces to sustaining academic success, building trusting relationships, and empowering dynamic leadership is the foundation for sustaining school success, and listening to teachers and leading by example breeds positive student outcomes. The three sub-themes that emerged were: including parents in collaboration is essential, promoting a team-based mentality based on openness and understanding to create academic success, and collaboration drives innovation and adaptation. Implications include a need for evolution and development scenarios for principals to develop their knowledge, skills, and leadership abilities. It is not by chance that certain schools are successful, and others are not. Identifying those cultural and performance disparities is of the utmost importance. [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.]