In 2003, the Illinois State Board of Education launched a school designation program for all public schools in Illinois. Based on a combination of test scores, student demographics, and a school's ability to make adequate yearly progress (AYP), schools in Illinois are assigned one of five designations. One of the designations that a public school in Illinois can receive is Spotlight school status. In order to achieve Spotlight school status, a school must meet AYP, have at least 50% or more of the students in the school designated by federal guidelines as being low income, and must have 60% or more of the students pass the state achievement tests in reading and mathematics. The purpose of this study was to examine the reciprocal relationships among leadership practices, school contextual variables, and student achievement in schools with Spotlight school status within the state of Illinois. By examining the leadership practices of principals in these Illinois Spotlight schools, the study determined statistically significant interrelationships among instructional leadership behaviors, the principals' perceptions of specific contextual factors, demographic differences, and student achievement. A survey instrument was used to collect information concerning the personal demographics of each principal as well as data concerning the principals' leadership practices and their perceptions of their own staff, schools, and communities. Data collected from the Illinois State Board of Education provided information concerning school achievement. Correlations and regression analyses were performed on all data. The degree to which interrelationships formed among variables provided a foundation for describing the various effects on leadership practice of principals in the high-poverty, high-performing elementary schools and the effect that leadership has on student achievement. The results of this study provided evidence that positive staff climate and positive school climate have a significant measurable association with the leadership practices of principals in this study; however, this study did not find a statistically significant correlation between the principal's leadership practices and student achievement. [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.]