Social theory defines "ritualism" as the communal act of accepting the legitimate means to achieve while rejecting the goals. The innovative-school community accepts the goals; however, the legitimate means are rejected. Ninety-three teachers were surveyed in a high-performing high school and a low-performing high school to determine the relationship between goals and means to achieve the goals. Responses were examined to determine which schools practice ritualism or innovation according to anomic social theory. School performance was designated based on 10th-grade state test scores and SAT averages. The data were tested with a one-way ANOVA to examine any variance in means between responses of teachers in the high-performing school and in the low-performing school. No significant difference was found with regard to the teachers in the two schools regarding knowledge of or agreement with school goals. Differences in means were found in the beliefs by teachers that students in the high-performing school and students in the low-performing school could achieve the goals. Given the stark contrast between the two schools regarding socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and achievement, it may be beneficial to continue to examine these questions in greater depth. (Contains 16 references.) (Author/WFA)