This article presents a mixed method study utilizing teacher and student demographic and student attendance data from seven hundred and two public schools in central Texas along with follow-up qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews conducted with the top 1% of principals identified as having the most diverse group of faculty within this region. For the quantitative methodology, OLS regression analyses were employed to measure the relative effect of teacher-student race congruence on student attendance. The results of these analyses indicate that teacher-student race congruence made a statistically significant independent contribution to the variance in student attendance. For the qualitative interview data, a constructivist approach was used to identify common themes for how principals recruit and retain a diverse faculty. Three themes emerged from these interviews: recruitment of diverse faculty is deliberate; a climate of teacher support is fostered; and cultural congruence is paramount.