This study explored leadership perceptions around grade configuration and student achievement. Grade configuration is the grade level present within a school. The metric used to determine student achievement is ninth-grade GPA. This multi-method study began to determine if grade configuration had a significant impact on student achievement for the school district studied. The quantitative study showed that grade configuration did not significantly impact student achievement. Additionally, this study asked school and district leaders about their perceptions of grade configuration and student achievement. After reviewing locally sourced student achievement data, they were asked about their preferred grade configurations. The study showed that leadership perceptions are tied to experience, and when leaders have relevant data, they can change their perceptions. However, schools have specific grade configurations for various reasons, and student achievement is just one of them. [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.]