Organizational properties of schools can explain why some schools are successful and others are not. We explored the role of enabling school structures and academic optimism, comprised of teacher trust in clients, collective efficacy, and academic emphasis, in the development of professional learning communities (PLCs). Both of our hypotheses were confirmed via correlational analysis and structure equation modeling about the relationships of enabling school structures and academic optimism in the development of PLCs, our outcome variable. These empirical findings validate the importance of enabling school structures as an antecedent to the development of PLCs and contribute to organizational theory about school structure and health. School districts should consider the role of academic optimism and enabling school structures in relationship to developing PLCs.