Low levels of hope documented within Burgess County, a pseudonym, and the perennial achievement gap causes many to use the word "despair" to describe the outlook of African American student achievement and the dispositions school leaders, and students at predominately African American schools (Jacobs, 2005; West, 1999). According to Jacobs (2005), hope helps people to overcome despair and view life with a future of possibility. People, particularly students, without hope are less likely to accomplish goals and achieve success. The relationship between sense of community, which refers to an attitude of shared communion and unity among members of a group, and hope among administrators and teachers at predominately African American high schools in Burgess County is investigated. This study was guided by two primary research questions and two supporting questions, which explored the relationship between sense of community and hope among study participants. Marcel's view of hope, multiculturalism, and gender perspective are important theories that framed this research. The research determined the differences in hope and sense of community among administrators and teachers of different race and ethnic groups and between genders. Data were collected using Sense of Community Index II and Adult Hope Scale, as well as a demographics data sheet. While the Spearman's rho test statistic revealed no statistically significant relationships between sense of community and hope among any of the participants, some outcome differences warrant further exploration. [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.]