The relationship between school administrators, teachers, and students can help impact the degree to which students thrive both academically and social-emotionally in their learning environments. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to explore administrators' and teachers' perceptions and attitudes on the effects of teacher-student relationships on students in middle school. Currently, a large body of literature exists in the area of teacher-student relationships in elementary school settings. However, positive teacher-student relationships are critical beyond these primary years, which is why this study attempts to bridge the gap that exists in the literature surrounding the critical roles that teacher-student relationships play in the middle school environment. This qualitative phenomenological study employs purposeful sampling as the method of participant and site selection. The participants include eight certified teachers and two certified administrators. Data collection included ten one-on-one interviews, classroom and school environment observations, a focus group, and artifacts. Multiple themes and sub-themes emerged inductively from the participants' responses to the research questions. While findings revealed that the administrators and teachers both value teacher-student relationships and that such relationships have positive effects on students, there are certainly barriers that must be overcome in order to strengthen and maintain these relationships. These findings produced several implications, one of which includes the need for professional development in the area of teacher-student relationships. The study ends with recommendations for further research. [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.]