Abstract: The purpose of this study was to determine whether statistically significant relationships exist between the independent variables of the characteristics of effective schools and collective teacher efficacy and the dependent variable student achievement. The study was conducted in 30 elementary schools representative of high poverty, high minority populated schools in Mississippi. The dependent variable for the study, student achievement, was measured using the School Performance Classification (SPC) assigned to each school by the Mississippi Department of Education. The independent variables for the study, the characteristics of effective schools and collective teacher efficacy, were measured using two instruments, the School Effectiveness Questionnaire (Baldwin, Coney, Fardig, & Thomas, 1993) and the Collective Efficacy Scale (Goddard, Hoy, & Woolfolk, 2000). These instruments gauged the teachers' perceptions of the degree to which each of the factors included in the study were present in the schools. The school was the unit of measure. The population consisted of 198 high poverty, high minority populated elementary schools located throughout Mississippi. A proportional stratified random technique was used to select the final sample for the study. A univariate correlational analysis was conducted to determine the strength of relationships between variables. Additionally, multiple regression was used to determine the multiple correlations among the variables. The study concluded that the characteristics of effective schools and collective teacher efficacy model is a strong predictor of student achievement. Further, the findings showed that collective teacher efficacy, clear and focused mission, and high expectations for success were significant predictors for student achievement in the model. As a result of the analysis of the data from the study, the following recommendations for further research are proposed: (1) A study that examines more closely the relationship between collective teacher efficacy and student achievement. (2) A study that focuses on schools that have implemented a school improvement program based on characteristics of school effectiveness. (3) A study that examines the relationship between the principal's perception of the degree to which characteristics of effectiveness are present in the school and the teachers' perception of the degree to which characteristics of effectiveness are present in the school.